According to the World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risks Report, digital inequality is one of the top five risks Botswana faces in its quest for economic growth. Other risks identified by the forum include unemployment, inflation, wealth and economic inequality as well as household debt.
The report highlights the findings from the WEF's annual Global Risks Perception Survey, which brings together the collective intelligence of nearly 1,500 global leaders across academia, business, government, the international community and civil society. It also leverages insights from over 200 thematic experts, including the risk specialists that form the Global Risks Report Advisory Board, Global Future Council on Complex Risks, and the Chief Risk Officers Community.
Although Botswana had made strides to bridge its digital divide according to a 2022 report by the UNICEF through initiatives like SmartBots and GIGA, last year, vice president Slumber Tsogwane conceded that there was still a prevailing digital divide which meant that communities, especially in rural areas, were still left behind.