GABORONE, Botswana | 16 October | 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 the 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 sub-lease to ZCDG's Botswana project company. The structure is intended to support long-term development, infrastructure delivery and institutional financing. ZCDG has been 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.
"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."
Mr. Olebile Keletsositse, Chief Executive Officer, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre
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 also progressing through Botswana's institutional framework, with engagement with the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) advancing the proposed SEZ pathway alongside the relevant land, planning and regulatory processes.
ZCDG has assembled an international advisory and development team around the project, including King & Spalding LLP on international legal, investment and financing matters, Bookbinder Business Law as Botswana counsel, and Surbana Jurong as the technical master planners.
The proposed development incorporates opportunities across several strategic sectors, including logistics and freight operations, aviation cargo infrastructure, renewable energy generation, water infrastructure, industrial processing, digital infrastructure and regional trade facilitation.
Agriculture and livestock value chains, including meat processing, food security and export opportunities, also form part of the wider development vision, drawing upon Ghanzi District's established livestock economy.
With the MoU signed, ZCDG is advancing the project's master planning, technical, SEZ and financing workstreams in parallel as it engages 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, operators and strategic partners into Botswana and the wider Southern African market.
About Botswana Investment and Trade Centre
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) is Botswana's apex investment and trade promotion agency, supporting investment attraction, investor facilitation, export development and the promotion of Botswana as an international business and 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
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.
