Botswana National Archives and Records Services -Gaborone - Botswana

Established in 1967 under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Botswana National Archives and Records Services (BNARS) was formally legislated in 1978 through the National Archives and Records Services Act. Initially operating under administrative instructions, BNARS gained departmental status in 1993 via Presidential Circular No. 4, expanding its mandate to include comprehensive records management services for the government. Now under the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Culture, BNARS oversees the entire lifecycle of public records—from creation to disposition—ensuring systematic storage, timely retrieval, and preservation of valuable records, while disposing of ephemeral ones. The institution also facilitates public access to archival materials for research purposes, with services available at its headquarters in Gaborone and regional centers in Kanye and Francistown. Researchers can submit enquiries through the BNARS Searchroom Enquiry Form, with responses typically provided within two days.