National Development Bank SWIFT/BIC code

SWIFT/BIC code of National Development Bank

If an invoice shows DNABBWG1 or DNABBWG1XXX, it is the same address for National Development Bank in Botswana. A SWIFT code tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive the money. In practice you usually come across it on invoices from abroad, in your banking app and in the bank details of National Development Bank customers.

Further down you will find the practical side: receiving money at National Development Bank, sending money abroad and how to check a SWIFT code before you confirm a payment. The SWIFT code alone cannot identify a personal account; for that you need the IBAN or account number is for.

Where our SWIFT data comes from

The codes here come from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. Banks merge, close branches and retire codes, and a directory never catches every change immediately. Counts and locations are from our directory.

See our directory here as a helpful check, and let the details from the recipient or National Development Bank have the final say. GoldexPay is independent of National Development Bank, we only compare transfer services. Found outdated information? Tell us via our contact form and we will look into it.

Why National Development Bank has an 8- and an 11-character code

Every SWIFT/BIC code has the same eight core characters: four letters for the bank, a two-letter country code and two characters for the location. Together, those parts form DNABBWG1, the code most people search for.

XXX at the end of DNABBWG1XXX does not stand for a placeholder or an error: it indicates the main office of National Development Bank. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you simply enter XXX behind DNABBWG1.

Enter the code as one block, in capitals and without separators. Copying the code is safer than typing it by hand: a typo can point to another bank.

Before you send: check the National Development Bank code

Ask the recipient to copy the account details straight from a recent statement. Compare that code against DNABBWG1 on this page and ask if anything does not match.

An incorrect BIC may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges. An error in the IBAN or account number is more serious because it can reach the wrong person.

Many banking apps check the format of an IBAN and some suggest the matching BIC. More and more banks check the name against the account – do not ignore a mismatch warning. Sending a small amount first can be a sensible step for a large first payment.

Receiving money from abroad at National Development Bank

When you expect a payment from another country, send the payer all details at once. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, DNABBWG1XXX and often your postal address.

The sender’s bank may request the address of your bank, in which case the Gaborone head office is the usual answer. A mistake in the IBAN is harder to fix than it looks.

Expect that the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary from bank to bank – the price list of National Development Bank tells you what applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs, especially for larger amounts.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

Fraudsters regularly use payment requests containing changed bank details, sometimes in an email that looks completely genuine. That DNABBWG1 is a real code does not mean that the account is genuine.

Always verify changed bank details by phone, using a number you already had. Urgency or requests to keep it quiet tend to be red flags – a real supplier can wait a day. Acted too fast? Contact your bank without delay and have them start a recall and report the fraud.

Fraud also target the receiver. Someone sends more than agreed and asks you to refund the difference via a different route. A payment confirmation from the sender proves nothing – check your own account.

International transfers from National Development Bank: the real cost

If you transfer money abroad via National Development Bank, the fee you see is rarely all of the cost. Besides the transfer fee, correspondent or intermediary banks may take a cut, and when currencies are converted the bank usually applies a rate that is less favourable than the actual market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate, not in the fee: the bank converts using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Check their rate with the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buy and sell rates you see on financial sites.

For a lot of routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. Next time you send money, take a minute comparing what arrives via GoldexPay. You can always keep your account at National Development Bank, while a cheaper service handles the conversion.

Which of the 6 codes of National Development Bank do you need?

National Development Bank has 6 separate SWIFT/BIC codes. Only one is the head office code; the others belong to branches, and sometimes specific services.

For the vast majority of incoming transfers, the head office code DNABBWG1XXX works fine. Just use a branch code when the account holder explicitly asks for it, for example on a letter or invoice.

The best way is to take the code straight from the account holder’s invoice. Codes can change when banks reorganise.

How long does an international transfer to National Development Bank take?

A SWIFT payment typically needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later. Occasionally a bank asks about the purpose of a payment before releasing it.

When a payment takes longer than expected, contact your bank about the tracking status and the transaction reference. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived – you will need it for any trace request.

Only the sending bank can start an official trace. Ask the sender for a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference; that often settles the question quickly.