AI regulation in Botswana (2026)

The Assistant Minister of Communications and Innovation confirmed in 2025 that a National AI Policy is in its 'final stage,' covering ethical, inclusive, and secure AI deployment aligned with national development goals; it has not yet been formally enacted or published.

Botswana partnered with UNESCO to complete a Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) report in 2024–2025, which validated the country's readiness across ethics, security, and inclusivity dimensions, and now underpins the pending National AI Policy.

Act No. 18 of 2024 came into force on 14 January 2025, replacing the 2018 Act. It mandates data protection impact assessments and stricter rules on algorithmic decision-making and cross-border data flows, effectively serving as Botswana's default AI data governance instrument.

Parliament passed both the Digital Services Bill and the Cybersecurity Bill on 14 August 2025. The Digital Services Act establishes a new Digital Services Authority; the Cybersecurity Act creates a National Cyber Security Authority. Neither directly regulates AI but both shape the digital infrastructure in which AI systems operate.

Botswana is developing a broader national AI strategy in collaboration with Estonia, targeting responsible adoption across sectors including livestock technology, climate modelling, and indigenous language processing.

As of May 2026, Botswana has no enacted law, binding regulation, or official published AI principles that specifically govern AI systems. The country relies on general digital and data legislation while the dedicated AI Policy remains pending.