Banks lean on slower-growing deposit base

Botswana’s banks recorded modest deposit growth this year, but it lags lending, narrowing the sector’s funding base amid weak economic momentum.

Bank of Botswana data show total deposits at about P110.8 billion at end-September 2025, up from P107.3 billion in January a rise of roughly P3.5 billion, or 3.3 percent. Year-on-year deposits increased from P108.9 billion in September 2024 to P110.8 billion, about 1.8 percent, while bank credit expanded by roughly 8.5 percent, pushing the loan-to-deposit ratio to about 82 percent and intensifying liquidity concerns.