BITC and Zotus City Sign Landmark MoU for 20,507 Hectare Development in Botswana

Joint agreement establishes a land tenure, development and exclusivity framework for Zotus City at Junction 44 in Botswana's Ghanzi District.

GABORONE, BOTSWANA, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) and Zotus City Development Group Ltd (ZCDG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the land and development framework for Zotus City, a proposed smart city, industrial hub and Special Economic Zone at Junction 44 in Botswana’s Ghanzi District.

The signing marks an important milestone in the ongoing cooperation between ZCDG and BITC, providing an agreed framework for proposed land tenure arrangements, development exclusivity and the next stages of project planning, investment mobilisation and implementation.

The framework covers approximately 20,507 hectares, comprising approximately 4,200 hectares for the proposed city and a further 16,307 hectare City Buffer, with final boundaries subject to determination by the Ghanzi Land Board.

Under the MoU, BITC intends, subject to the necessary approvals, to apply for a head lease over the site, followed by a sublease to ZCDG’s Botswana project company. The structure is intended to support long term development, infrastructure delivery and institutional financing.

ZCDG is identified as the proposed master developer and commercialisation partner and will lead master planning, feasibility, investor engagement and financing workstreams, while continuing engagement with affected landholders and communal land users in consultation with the relevant authorities.

The MoU also provides a framework for exclusivity in favour of ZCDG in relation to the proposed development, supporting the company's role in advancing the project through its planning, feasibility, financing and development stages.

BITC CEO Mr. Olebile Keletsositse said:

“We continue to facilitate ZCDG, and the signing of this MoU is yet another step towards the realisation of the City.”

“Zotus City represents the scale and ambition of investment Botswana is seeking to attract. BITC is pleased to support the project as it advances through the land, investment and regulatory processes towards implementation.”

Strategically positioned on the Trans Kalahari Corridor, Zotus City is envisioned as a phased development bringing together logistics, aviation, industry, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, commercial and residential development, creating a platform for investment serving Botswana and the wider Southern African market.

The project is progressing through Botswana’s institutional framework, with engagement with the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) advancing the proposed SEZ pathway alongside relevant land, planning and regulatory processes.

ZCDG has assembled an international advisory and development team, including King & Spalding LLP on international legal, investment and financing matters, Bookbinder Business Law as Botswana counsel, and Surbana Jurong and the technical master planners.

The proposed development incorporates opportunities across logistics, aviation cargo, renewable energy, water infrastructure, industrial processing, digital infrastructure and regional trade facilitation.

Agriculture and livestock value chains, including meat processing, food security and export opportunities, form part of the wider development vision, drawing upon Ghanzi District's established livestock economy.

With the MoU signed, ZCDG is advancing master planning, technical, SEZ and financing workstreams while engaging institutional investors, development finance institutions, infrastructure partners and strategic operators internationally.

ENDS

About Zotus City Development Group

Zotus City Development Group is developing Zotus City, a proposed smart city, Special Economic Zone and industrial development platform at Junction 44 in Botswana’s Ghanzi District, designed to attract international capital, industries and strategic partners into Botswana and the wider Southern African market.

About Botswana Investment and Trade Centre

BITC is Botswana’s apex investment and trade promotion agency, supporting investment attraction, investor facilitation, export development and Botswana’s promotion as an international investment destination.

Media Enquiries

Zotus City Development Group
info@zotuscity.com
www.zotuscity.com

BITC
enquiries@bitc.co.bw
+267 3633400
www.bitc.co.bw

Important note: The proposed land arrangements, site boundaries, head lease, sublease and development remain subject to applicable approvals, laws, land and planning processes and execution of definitive agreements.

Zotus City Media Relations
Zotus City Development Group
info@zotuscity.com
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