Wiring Botswana into the Future: African Development Bank Powers Automotive Innovation.

Wednesday 7th May 2025

By inAfrika Reporter

In the Botswanan town of Lobatse, just 70 kilometers from the capital Gaborone, something remarkable is happening on the factory floor. Hundreds of workers, mostly women, are assembling intricate wiring harnesses for global automotive giants Volkswagen and Nissan. But this isn’t just about car parts it’s about transformation, opportunity, and industrialisation in action.

At the center of this movement is Delta Automotive Technologies, a company that has grown into a manufacturing powerhouse thanks to support from the African Development Bank. Through an $80 million credit line to the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), the bank has fueled the growth of industries like Delta that are helping diversify Botswana’s economy beyond diamonds.

“This funding hasn’t just built infrastructure it’s built opportunity,” says Darryn Hattingh, Delta’s Director of Manufacturing. The company currently produces 120 harness sets daily for Volkswagen South Africa and aims to scale up to 451 sets per day for both Volkswagen and Nissan by 2027.

More than just a factory, Delta is a symbol of inclusive progress. An astounding 75% of its workforce is female a bold statement in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Clara Kaekane, a process engineer, puts it best: “Every component we make is a challenge to outdated assumptions about gender and engineering. I’m building a new perception of what is possible.”

The African Development Bank sees Delta as more than a business success story. “Each wire harness connects not just vehicle components, but Botswana’s workforce to global value chains,” says Moono Mupotola, Deputy Director General for Southern Africa at the Bank.

From 327 current employees to a projected 1,000 within four years, Delta is not only creating jobs but also generating export revenue, developing technical skills, and redefining what local industry can achieve. With 95% of its staff being local, this is economic empowerment at its best.

According to Benedicta Abosi from BDC, “Delta’s growth is a development win on all fronts. It proves what’s possible when strategic financing meets visionary entrepreneurship.”

Delta Automotive may be producing car parts, but in truth, it’s wiring Africa into a bold industrial future.