7 hours agoMining Is Changing. The Way We Finance It Must Change Too

elaThe theme at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 “Stronger together: Progress through partnerships” reflected the current reality of mining finance in Africa. Capital is available and projects are advancing. Yet execution depends on alignment across banks, miners, regulators, infrastructure providers, and investors.

For Botswana, this matters. Mining remains central to fiscal revenue, foreign exchange earnings, and long-term economic stability. Expansion into underground operations, new copper mine projects, and energy transition minerals requires more than balance sheet funding.

Mining projects now demand structured finance, cross border capital, currency risk solutions, environmental governance discipline, and infrastructure coordination. Investors are more selective in the projects to support as they demand robust environmental and social governance frameworks. They scrutinise community impact, assess supply chain integrity and capital now follows credibility.

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The Mining Indaba made this clear. Conversations focused less on volume and more on quality of the projects and their bankability. The need for Governance discipline, jurisdictions which offer policy certainty and the infrastructure projects which will have credible solutions.

For clients in Botswana, this environment presents both pressure and opportunity. Pressure because project preparation must meet higher standards. Financial models must withstand stress testing and Offtake agreements must demonstrate durability.

Opportunity because well-structured projects attract deeper pools of capital. Botswana’s stable regulatory framework and track record in mining governance remains a strong advantage. When combined with disciplined financial structuring, this positions local projects competitively on the global stage.

Stanbic Bank Botswana’s role is deliberate. The bank aligns corporate lending, structured finance, global markets, and advisory capabilities into a single mining proposition. This allows clients to move from exploration to development with continuity of banking support.

It allows large producers to optimise capital structures. It allows emerging miners to access blended and syndicated funding models that improve bankability. Partnership also extends beyond balance sheets.

Mining finance influences jobs, supplier development, power infrastructure, water security, and regional trade corridors. Funding decisions shape long term economic resilience. Structured responsibly, mining catalyses industrial participation and skills transfer.

On the other hand, projects that are poorly structured stall and or strain communities. “Stronger together: Progress through partnerships”therefore reflects collaboration between institutions and coordinated accountability. Every stakeholder should be in a position to play their part with banks providing sector insights, Developers bringing in governance discipline, policy makers providing regulatory clarity and investors committing patient capital.

When these elements align, projects move from concept to production with confidence. The Africa Mining Indaba did not introduce new rhetoric. It confirmed a shift already underway.

Mining finance in Botswana has entered a phase defined by structure, transparency, and strategic alignment. Leadership in this space requires depth of mining knowledge, disciplined risk management, and the ability to convene capital across borders. Stanbic Bank Botswana continues to strengthen its position as a leading partner to the mining sector, ensuring that capital deployed into Botswana translates into production, employment, infrastructure, and sustained national growth. Rebone Diloro is Stanbic Bank Botswana Head, Client Coverage

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