Botswana Electrical Energy Import Market -- HS Code 2716 Trade Data & Price Trend (Jan 2025)

Botswana Electrical Energy Import (HS 2716) Key Takeaways

Botswana's electrical energy imports under HS Code 2716 in January 2025 consist entirely of standardized bulk electricity, with no product diversification or pricing anomalies. The market shows stable baseline activity, reflecting consistent reliance on imports to meet demand. Supplier concentration is extreme, dominated by state-controlled entities like ZESCO and ESKOM, creating significant supply chain vulnerability. South Africa supplies nearly all volume, while Zambia commands a disproportionate value share due to higher-cost power. This analysis, covering January 2025, is based on cleanly processed customs data from the yTrade database. Botswana's HS Code 2716 trade data reveals a high-risk, undiversified energy import structure dependent on regional hubs.

Botswana Electrical Energy Import (HS 2716) Background

What is HS Code 2716?

HS Code 2716 classifies Electrical Energy, a critical commodity traded globally to power industries, households, and infrastructure. Its demand is driven by stable consumption in manufacturing, utilities, and cross-border energy grids, making it a strategically significant trade flow. Botswana’s reliance on imports under this code reflects its need to supplement domestic generation, particularly from regional suppliers like South Africa.

Current Context and Strategic Position

The U.S. increased additional duties on all imports from Botswana to 37% effective April 2025, potentially impacting exports, including HS Code 2716 items [Global Trade Alert]. While Botswana’s Electrical Energy Import remains unrestricted domestically, the broader tariff escalation underscores the need for market vigilance. The country’s dependence on regional energy networks and its role in HS Code 2716 trade data highlight its vulnerability to external policy shifts. Monitoring these dynamics is essential for stakeholders navigating Botswana’s energy trade landscape.

Botswana Electrical Energy Import (HS 2716) Price Trend

Key Observations

In January 2025, Botswana's imports of electrical energy under HS code 2716 reached a total value of 5.73 million USD, reflecting a baseline level of trade activity for the month.

Price and Volume Dynamics

The Botswana Electrical Energy Import trend for January appears stable, with no prior data for comparison, but this value aligns with typical industry patterns where electricity demand often peaks during summer months due to increased cooling needs in the region. This hs code 2716 value trend suggests consistent import reliance to supplement domestic supply, common in energy-deficit markets.

External Context and Outlook

Moving forward, the market outlook may be shaped by broader economic factors such as currency volatility or shifts in regional energy availability, which are key influencers in electrical energy trade dynamics for Botswana.

Botswana Electrical Energy Import (HS 2716) HS Code Breakdown

Product Specialization and Concentration

According to yTrade data, Botswana's HS Code 2716 import market in January 2025 is completely concentrated in a single product. Electrical energy, under sub-code 27160000, accounts for 100% of both the value and quantity imported. Its unit price of $0.17 per unit confirms its nature as a standardized bulk commodity, with no price anomalies or competing product forms present in the import structure.

Value-Chain Structure and Grade Analysis

The entire import volume consists solely of finished electrical energy delivered for consumption. This structure shows no diversification into upstream production components, intermediate goods, or alternative energy grades. The homogeneous nature of this product and its uniform pricing indicate a fungible commodity trade, typically linked to regional grid pricing or contract indices rather than product differentiation.

Strategic Implication and Pricing Power

Analysis of HS Code 2716 trade data reveals that importers have minimal pricing power due to the commodity nature of electrical energy. Market strategy for Botswana's HS Code 2716 import should prioritize securing stable supply contracts and optimizing transmission costs, rather than seeking product differentiation or quality-based sourcing advantages.

Check Detailed HS Code 2716 Breakdown

Botswana Electrical Energy Import (HS 2716) Origin Countries

Geographic Concentration and Dominant Role

South Africa is the dominant origin for Botswana's Electrical Energy imports in January 2025, supplying 99.88% of the total quantity. However, Zambia accounts for 85.17% of the total import value. This large gap, where Zambia's value share is vastly higher than its quantity share, shows that Botswana pays a much higher price per unit for electricity from Zambia. This suggests imports from Zambia consist of higher-cost power, possibly due to longer transmission distances or premium pricing agreements.

Origin Countries Clusters and Underlying Causes

The trade flow forms two clear clusters. South Africa is the sole member of the "Volume/Hub Cluster," functioning as the primary bulk supplier due to its direct grid connection and established energy trade agreements with Botswana. Zambia represents a "High-Yield Cluster," where its minimal quantity share commands a disproportionately high value share, indicating it is a niche, higher-cost source. The third partner, Namibia, has a negligible share in both volume and value.

Forward Strategy and Supply Chain Implications

Botswana's electrical energy supply chain is highly concentrated and dependent on South Africa. This creates a significant risk to energy security, as any disruption in South Africa's power generation or transmission network would directly impact Botswana. The strategy must focus on diversifying its import sources and investing in domestic generation capacity to reduce this vulnerability and ensure a stable power supply.

Table: Botswana Electrical Energy (HS 2716) Top Origin Countries (Source: yTrade)

Get Complete Origin Countries Profile

Action Plan for Electrical Energy Market Operation and Expansion

Strategic Supply Chain Overview

The Botswana Electrical Energy Import market is a pure commodity trade. The hs code 2716 trade data confirms a single product type with uniform pricing. Price is driven by regional grid rates and long-distance transmission costs, not product quality. The Electrical Energy supply chain is critically vulnerable. It is dominated by a few state-owned suppliers from South Africa and Zambia. This creates high exposure to political shifts and infrastructure failures in those nations.

Action Plan: Data-Driven Steps for Electrical Energy Market Execution and Expansion

• Use hs code 2716 trade data to actively monitor the unit price and volume from South Africa versus Zambia. This will provide an early warning for cost spikes and help optimize the import mix for budget control.
• Analyze high-frequency, low-value supplier data to identify potential new partners like NAMPOWER. This can help build a network of supplemental suppliers to slightly reduce dependency on the dominant players.
• Leverage origin data to model the financial impact of potential supply disruptions from South Africa. This will quantify risk and build a stronger business case for investing in domestic generation or alternative sources.
• Negotiate long-term supply contracts with key partners using historical trade data to lock in stable volumes and predictable pricing. This will protect against spot market volatility and ensure a more secure flow of power.

Take Action Now —— Explore Botswana Electrical Energy Import Data

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is driving the recent changes in Botswana Electrical Energy Import 2025 January?

Botswana's electrical energy imports in January 2025 reflect stable demand, with a total value of $5.73 million. The market shows consistent reliance on imports to supplement domestic supply, typical for energy-deficit regions.

Q2. Who are the main origin countries of Botswana Electrical Energy (HS Code 2716) 2025 January?

South Africa supplies 99.88% of the import quantity, while Zambia accounts for 85.17% of the value due to higher unit pricing. Namibia's share is negligible.

Q3. Why does the unit price differ across origin countries of Botswana Electrical Energy Import?

Zambia's higher value share despite lower quantity suggests premium pricing, possibly due to transmission costs or contractual terms, while South Africa provides bulk electricity at standardized rates.

Q4. What should importers in Botswana focus on when buying Electrical Energy?

Importers should prioritize securing stable supply contracts with dominant suppliers like ZESCO and ESKOM while exploring regional partnerships to mitigate dependency risks.

Q5. What does this Botswana Electrical Energy import pattern mean for overseas suppliers?

Suppliers like ZESCO (Zambia) and ESKOM (South Africa) hold significant leverage due to Botswana's heavy reliance, but long-term opportunities exist for alternative providers to diversify the market.

Q6. How is Electrical Energy typically used in this trade flow?

Imported electrical energy (HS Code 27160000) is a standardized bulk commodity used for direct consumption, linked to regional grid pricing without upstream or grade diversification.