Botswana. Comprehensive data protection. Act
Botswana DPA 2024Data Protection Act, 2024 (Act No. 18 of 2024)
Partly verified
Medium confidence.text_url is the 2024 Bill as published; official Act text not located. IDPC URL not verified. Registration method not yet prescribed.
§1Summary
- Synopsis
Botswana's updated data protection law, replacing the 2018 Act with a more GDPR-aligned regime. It is overseen by the Information and Data Protection Commission and introduces turnover-based fines.
- Key themes
- Unique features
Transfers are prohibited unless the destination is designated by ministerial order in the Gazette or the Commissioner pre-authorises them. Fines up to BWP 50m or 4% of global turnover.
- SaaS relevance
SaaS providers processing Botswana personal data must rely on the gazetted country list or Commissioner authorisation for offshore hosting.
§2Obligations
- Breach notification
- Commission without delay, where feasible within 72h
- DPO
- Conditional
- Cross-border transfers
- Ministerial designation of adequate countries or Commissioner authorisation; derogations
- Maximum penalty
- BWP 50m or 4% of global turnover
§3Dates
- Key dates
- Adopted
- In force
- Repealed and replaced the Data Protection Act 2018 (in force 2021-10-15); grace period for compliance reported as extended
§4Text and authority
- Text
- Authoritative text michalsons.com
- Authority
- Information and Data Protection Commission (IDPC)
§5Where it applies
- Domestic law of
- Botswana
§6Sources and verification
- Sources consulted
- Verification
Medium confidence.
Partly verified
Medium confidence.text_url is the 2024 Bill as published; official Act text not located. IDPC URL not verified. Registration method not yet prescribed.