Botswana is planning to phase out single-use plastic bags, with the government announcing the start of a gradual implementation process. The country's Ministry of Environment and Tourism announced the phased implementation of a single-use plastic bag ban on 19 August 2026. The aim is to gradually eliminate non-essential single-use plastic bags while giving businesses time to switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives.
No immediate change for travellers
For visitors to Botswana, there is no immediate impact.
The Ministry has not yet published the detailed rules or timetable for the phased rollout. It says further consultations with government departments, industry and other stakeholders will take place over the coming weeks, followed by guidelines setting out how and when the ban will be implemented.
This means travellers should not expect a sudden change at Botswana's borders, shops or supermarkets at this stage.
Botswana already has measures aimed at reducing plastic bag use, including a plastic bag levy. The new policy will go further by gradually phasing out single-use plastic bags.
For travellers, this is therefore mainly a development to keep an eye on, rather than something requiring any whatsoever changes to current travel plans.
Plastic bag bans elsewhere in Southern and Eastern Africa
Botswana is not the first country in the region to tackle single-use plastic bags. Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mauritius and Seychelles already have national restrictions or bans, while Malawi and Zambia have restrictions on certain types of plastic bags.
South Africa, meanwhile, regulates plastic carrier bags and applies a plastic bag levy rather than having a nationwide ban. Namibia prohibits plastic bags in national parks and other protected areas.
Despite a high-profile May 2024 announcement by Eswatini's Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs of a total ban on single-use plastic carrier bags - originally set to take effect 01 December 2024 - the ban was twice postponed and ultimately suspended by Parliament in April 2025 for a further seven years.
Botswana's phased approach will therefore add another country to the region's growing efforts to reduce plastic waste.
The exact scope and timetable of Botswana's ban remain to be announced. We will update this post once the Ministry publishes the detailed implementation guidelines.
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