Realisation of the BOSSC Prototype and the Path Forward to Comprehensive Digitalisation

The Botswana One Stop Shop Services Centre (BOSSC) prototype marks a significant milestone in Botswana's journey toward a digital future. The initiative aims to streamline business-to-government interactions, fostering an environment conducive to investment and ease of doing business in Botswana.

The realisation of the BOSSC prototype has involved comprehensive stakeholder engagement, including key institutions such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), and the Digital Transformation Coordination Office (DTCO). Their collective efforts have been instrumental in transitioning from traditional manual processes to an integrated digital platform for obtaining business approvals, licenses, permits, and clearances.

The prototype's development has focused on understanding the needs, preferences, and experiences of businesses and investors, ensuring the creation of efficient and accessible digital solutions. The hospitality and accommodation sector, represented by the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB), was selected as the test market for this innovative approach. This sector-specific focus allowed for targeted improvements and a more controlled testing environment, which has proven successful in demonstrating the prototype's efficacy.

The next phase involves expanding this digitalisation effort to other key sectors, including agro-industry, manufacturing, ICT, and infrastructure. This expansion is essential to create a comprehensive digitalisation system that enhances Botswana's overall investment climate and business environment. Strategies for this phase include maintaining active collaboration with key stakeholders across various sectors to gather insights and feedback for continuous improvement, leveraging advanced technologies to integrate different sectoral requirements into the BOSSC digital platform, providing training and support to businesses and government personnel to ensure smooth adoption and effective use of the digital system, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the system's performance and make necessary adjustments.

The BOSSC prototype represents a crucial step in Botswana's efforts to enhance its business and investment climate through digital transformation