Sefalana Holding Company Limited, Botswana’s oldest and most diversified conglomerate, has reported its highest-ever financial results for the year ended 27 April 2025, underscoring the company’s deepening regional footprint and strategic diversification across Southern Africa.
The group — listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) under the ticker SEFALANA — achieved a 15% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching P11.2 billion ($800 million). Profit before tax expanded by 24% to P550 million ($39 million), while net profit attributable to shareholders rose 21% to P423.8 million ($30 million). Earnings before interest, tax, and amortisation (EBITA) climbed 21% to P554 million ($39.6 million), and earnings per share grew 27% to 169 thebe, reflecting strong operational efficiency and cost discipline.
At the heart of Sefalana’s performance lies its FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) division, which continues to serve as the principal growth driver across Botswana and Namibia. The company opened 12 new retail outlets, expanding its footprint to 134 stores in Botswana and 32 in Namibia. The group’s strategic decision to convert its preference shares in UIH South Africa into a 30% equity stake provided a strategic foothold in Africa’s largest consumer market, deepening its regional integration ambitions.
In the manufacturing segment, Foods Botswana delivered record output, supported by increased production volumes and a sustained focus on food security. The full in-sourcing of A-Star Water, Sefalana’s bottled water brand, and a doubling of its production capacity reflect the group’s emphasis on vertical integration and domestic value addition. Meanwhile, Level 55, a shopfitting enterprise, and Turnbridge Projects, specialising in printing and signage, are now contributing positively to the group’s diversified earnings stream.
As Sefalana embarks on its 2026–2030 strategic cycle, it plans to construct a 10,000-square-metre warehouse in Gaborone North and expand Foods Botswana’s maize silo capacity, signalling long-term commitment to strengthening local supply chains and food systems. The company’s newly formed AI Steering Committee is set to guide digital transformation across its operations, logistics, and customer engagement functions — a move aligning with Botswana’s broader national digitalisation agenda.
Sefalana continues to align its corporate governance with the King IV Code of Corporate Governance and the Botswana Stock Exchange listing rules. The company’s Risk and Sustainability Committee has integrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into enterprise-wide risk frameworks, reflecting an evolving approach to sustainable business conduct that resonates with global standards while remaining contextually African.
Employment across the group rose 13% to 8,172, with 99% of the workforce comprising Botswana citizens, reinforcing Sefalana’s role as one of the nation’s leading employers and a key contributor to local empowerment. The company also expanded its renewable energy investment, increasing solar capacity to 150 kW at its beverage production facility. Over the year, Sefalana contributed P124 million ($8.9 million) in taxes across its operating markets, affirming its position as one of Botswana’s leading corporate taxpayers.
The Board declared a final dividend of 38 thebe, bringing the total payout to 50 thebe per share for the financial year. The group achieved a total shareholder return of 31% and a Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) of 19%, closing the financial year with a market capitalisation of P3.8 billion ($271 million).
Sefalana’s recognition as Botswana’s Most Admired Retail Brand by Brand Africa 100 (2025) underscores the company’s growing regional influence and continued investment in African markets. Its expansion strategy, driven by local partnerships and a pan-African growth ethos, demonstrates the company’s capacity to evolve within an increasingly interconnected Southern African economic landscape.
In a period where African corporates are redefining self-sustaining models and reshaping trade narratives, Sefalana’s trajectory reflects not only financial resilience but also the potential of African-led enterprises to balance profitability with purpose. The company’s regional expansion and governance model represent a broader narrative of African corporates assuming agency in shaping their continental futures, rooted in sustainable growth and inclusive participation.
