Leadership at the Botswana Digital Innovation Hub (BDIH) has warned the country is “exporting jobs” by outsourcing data protection services, including customised cybersecurity software development.

BDIH’s Acting CEO Tshepo Tsheko said the private sector, together with innovators, must take charge of Botswana’s cyber security, as opposed to outsourcing to external third-party service providers.

“We are a sovereign state, our cybersecurity agenda has to be led by our own. We need to be certain that our people’s data is safe,” he said.

Tsheko made the comments at the signing of an MoU with the country’s enterprise apex body Business Botswana (BB) to promote collaboration of research, innovation and digitalisation by connecting the private sector with innovators.

He said collaboration between the two organisations is long overdue. “In mature economies, the link between business organisations and innovators is strong”, adding that the business community needs to help develop the capacity of the country’s innovators.

Tsheko said that through BB’s local, regional and international networks, BDIH will be exposed to organisations to help upskill innovators.

“Our innovators have talent that needs to be up-skilled and also help them develop their talent into businesses,” he said.

Botswana recently established a Commission under the 2018 Data Protection Act, to govern data management and the protection of personal information.

BDIH continues to focus on the development of technology via the Botswana Innovation Fund and has, since inception, facilitated 32 innovations which are valued at P30.5-million.