Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has introduced three new .bw domains as part of a social media campaign to attract more interest in the local webspace.

The campaign is being driven under the hashtags #pushabw and #switchtobw, and has ushered in the arrival of shop.bw, agric.bw and me.bw, focused on the local e-commerce market.

The regulator expects the new domains will facilitate growth in the market, enable easier access to the market for farmers, and provide end users with assurance that they are buying from reputable and registered retailers.

The me.bw domain offers the opportunity to personalise brands and online presence.

“There is no domain extension more personal than me.bw,” said BOCRA spokesperson Andrew Nyelesi, adding that like existing domains, the new domains are regulated by current .bw domain policies.

According to BOCRA the country’s domain name registry has reached 10 000 names and over 70 accredited registrars.

“This is a great milestone, we have achieved together (stakeholders),” said Nyelesi.

BOCRA says Botswana continues to grow its online presence with corporate businesses (co.bw) taking the lead.

Including the latest additions, the country currently has eight domain zones serving both government and the private sector’s growing appetite for online presence.