President Emmerson Mnangagwa has called for an urgent national push to scale up local beneficiation, value addition, and the export of processed products, warning that Zimbabwe can no longer afford to rely on shipping out unrefined raw materials.
Speaking at the official opening of the inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) in Harare, President Mnangagwa emphasised that transforming raw commodities into high-value finished goods is the most pressing imperative for the nation’s economic strategy.
“The need to scale-up beneficiation, value addition, manufacturing and export of processed materials, is now urgent,” he said.
“I am confident that through stronger synergies within the manufacturing and other sectors of the economy, more can be done to accelerate the realisation of set targets.”
He stressed that sustainable prosperity depends on building strong domestic capabilities to convert natural resource endowments into high-value goods, pointing directly to critical primary sectors requiring immediate industrial processing focus.
“The need to beneficiate iron and steel, lithium, cement, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, leather, cotton, fertilizers, dairy, oilseed processing as well as sugar, grains, logistics and packaging, are areas deserving attention from us all,” President Mnangagwa said.
Challenging the private sector and mining operators, the President warned against business models that extract wealth without building long-term local capacity.
He reiterated that the ultimate goal of beneficiation is to stimulate downstream industries, expand employment, and increase foreign currency earnings.
“Stakeholders in mining and mineral value chain industries are challenged to quickly adapt and ensure that our strategic minerals are value added and beneficiated for win-win benefits,” he said.
“As I have said in the past, my government does not accept ‘horse and rider’ economic cooperation or investments, including from local manufacturing players. National resources must be processed and beneficiated for the realisation of maximum economic returns that benefit all our people.”
The President added that expanding local processing capabilities must extend beyond domestic consumption, calling on Zimbabwean manufacturers to aggressively target export markets within SADC, COMESA, and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
To support this urgent push, he said the government committed to enhancing industrial financing mechanisms, improving the investment climate, and securing resilient infrastructure, energy, and logistics systems.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa says the government is rolling out a series of institutional, regulatory, and infrastructure interventions designed to boost domestic manufacturing, lower production costs, and transform the nation into a regional industrial hub.
Addressing delegates at the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026 in Harare, President Mnangagwa said a central component of the strategy involves improving access to capital and protecting productive investments.
“On its part, my government will continue facilitating the success of our Industrialisation Agenda. Institutional reforms are being undertaken and cultivating a new national mindset anchored on stewardship, productivity, innovation, discipline and sustainability,” he said.
The President emphasised that the government is actively strengthening industry-financing mechanisms while mobilising both domestic and foreign capital to bolster local production.
To address long-standing operational bottlenecks, the government is prioritising the upgrade of foundational national infrastructure, including transport systems, water supply, and digital connectivity.
“Modern and resilient infrastructure, stable energy supply, efficient transport systems, reliable logistics, digital connectivity and secure water supplies are fundamental pre-requisites which must be continually revisited. In doing so, we are able to boost industrial growth, lower production costs, towards enhancing competitiveness and facilitating trade,” President Mnangagwa noted.
The President pointed out that these measures are already showing practical results, pointing to early benefits from ongoing reforms aimed at streamlining ease-of-doing-business processes and reducing the administrative burden on enterprises.
“I am pleased that to date, these aspects are being incrementally addressed with tangible benefits accruing to a favourable regulatory framework as well as the ease and cost of doing business,” he added.
“The broader objective, is to strategically position our country as a high-performing and competitive manufacturing and industrial hub, for regional, continental and international markets.”
Beyond state-led infrastructure investments, President Mnangagwa called for an inclusive growth model that integrates small and medium enterprises directly into formal supply networks, pledging continued state support for high-performing entrepreneurs to strengthen the overall industrial ecosystem.
Manufacturing has become Zimbabwe’s largest economic sector, with its contribution to gross domestic product increasing from 16.8% in 2025 to 17.1% in the first quarter of 2026, a new study shows.
According to The State of Zimbabwe’s Industry and Prospects for 2027, presented by Africa Economic Development Strategies Executive Director, Professor Gift Mugano, at the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo, businesses are actively prioritising long-term modernisation and foreign market expansion rather than short-term survival.
Prof Mugano noted that 81.8% of financed industrial firms invested capital directly into upgrading production capacity and expanding into export markets.
Specifically, 35.1% of capital was allocated to new machinery and production equipment, while 12.4% was spent on warehouses and logistics infrastructure, another 12.4% went toward expansion into new export markets, and 7.3% was dedicated to new product development and value addition.
He said modernisation efforts are advancing rapidly across plant floors, with 65% of surveyed manufacturing firms now operating machinery less than ten years old, 48% currently executing technology upgrades, and 18.5% confirming investments in artificial intelligence technologies in 2026.
Looking ahead, 63.1% of surveyed firms expressed optimism about the industrial sector’s performance in 2027, while 54.7% reported optimism about the wider economy.
The respondents framed current operational hurdles such as high capital costs, import competition, and climate change as constraints of a recovering sector operating below potential rather than symptoms of collapse.
To sustain this growth trajectory, the study recommended establishing a dedicated industrial bank driven by pension funds to provide affordable long-term financing.
“Industry called for the establishment of an industrial bank largely driven by pension funds, providing affordable long-term capital for machinery, technology, export expansion and value addition, enabling firms to accelerate industrial transformation and import substitution,” Prof Mugano said.
Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector is continuing its post-recovery momentum, with capacity utilisation reaching 61.2% this year, up from 36.4% in 2019, Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu has revealed.
Speaking at the inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026 in Harare, Minister Ndhlovu said the capacity utilisation is driven by increased production, better capacity use, and renewed investor confidence.
He added that the manufacturing sector’s contribution to the country’s gross domestic product has risen to 17.1%, compared to approximately 15% in 2019.
The Minister said the positive trajectory is further supported by growth in manufactured exports, which reached US$584 million in 2025, up from US$360 million in 2019.
Minister Ndhlovu attributed the growth to a deliberate policy shift toward domestic value addition and away from the export of unrefined raw materials.
“This growth is particularly significant because it reflects our deliberate shift from exporting raw materials towards producing higher-value manufactured goods that generate greater foreign currency earnings, create quality employment and stimulate industrial expansion,” Ndhlovu said.
“These achievements are not isolated statistics. They represent factories that have resumed production, businesses that have expanded operations, new investments that have come into our economy, workers who have found employment and investors who have shown great confidence in Zimbabwe’s economic future.”
He pointed to a growing pipeline of upcoming investments across major industrial segments, including cement manufacturing, fertiliser production, steel production, mining equipment, automotive assembly, and industrial machinery.
To sustain this growth, the Minister highlighted the government’s policy framework, including the National Development Strategy 2 (2026–2030), the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (2026–2030), the Local Content Strategy (2026–2035), and the newly approved National Quality Policy.
He noted that technological adoption, particularly under the National Artificial Intelligence Policy, is beginning to reshape local production systems through automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing.
Zimbabwe has officially been admitted as a member of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), unlocking new credit channels and long-term development capital for the country as it expands its multilateral financing sources.
Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Professor Mthuli Ncube confirmed the approval during an address at the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) in Harare.
Ncube revealed that the country secured official approval to join the Shanghai-based institution, with a formal briefing scheduled to follow.
“We are now a member of the BRICS Bank, which is based in Shanghai. So, you can now access capital from the BRICS Bank. We will make a formal announcement properly later,” Ncube told delegates at the conference.
The milestone marks the culmination of an accession process initiated when President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government formally applied for membership in 2023, followed by board authorisation led by NDB President Dilma Rousseff earlier this year.
Treasury is expected to release a detailed statement outlining the terms of membership, equity commitments, and project pipelines earmarked for early financing.
Established in 2014 by the founding BRICS bloc, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the New Development Bank began formal operations in 2015 to serve as a complementary counterweight to traditional Bretton Woods entities like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Headquartered in Shanghai, the bank was created specifically to mobilise resources for infrastructure, energy security, digital transition, and sustainable development projects across emerging markets and developing economies.
Operating with an authorised capital base of $100 billion, the NDB has actively expanded its global membership beyond its founding members, admitting countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Algeria.
For Zimbabwe, securing full membership and access to the NDB’s balance sheet provides critical strategic relief from long-standing credit constraints.
Due to legacy external debt overhangs and international financial restrictions, Harare has historically faced severe limitations when trying to access concessional loans from traditional Western-backed multilateral lenders.
The NDB offers an alternative source of hard-currency project finance that does not carry the political conditionalities often attached to traditional structural adjustment packages.
Treasury intends to direct incoming NDB credit facilities toward major national priorities under the National Development Strategy 2 framework.
Primary targets include energy generation, road and rail modernisation, water management, and industrial expansion aimed at driving value addition across mining and agriculture.
Joining the bank deepens Zimbabwe’s South-South economic integration, giving the country a stronger institutional voice alongside major emerging economies as Harare continues to pursue full membership in the main BRICS bloc.
Trust Freddy, The Herald
Media practitioners have been challenged to position themselves as strategic partners in Zimbabwe’s industrial transformation agenda as the country convenes the inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Zhemu Soda, made the call today while officiating at the Media Awareness Day for ZICE 2026 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
“As communicators, you are not merely observers of development; you are partners in this development,” Dr Soda said.
“Through factual, balanced and analytical reporting, you help citizens understand Government programmes and projects, assist investors to identify opportunities and showcase Zimbabwe’s industrial potential to regional and international markets.”
He urged media houses to actively champion the Made in Zimbabwe campaign under the Local Content Strategy (2026–2035) and to highlight export and regional value chain opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“So, as we commence ZICE 2026, I encourage our media practitioners to go beyond reporting proceedings. Let your coverage unpack the substance behind the discussions. Explain how value addition creates jobs and demonstrate how beneficiation increases national wealth. Showcase how industrial innovation improves productivity and competitiveness.”
President Mnangagwa is scheduled to deliver the keynote address and officially launch the main conference tomorrow at HICC.
The two-day ZICE 2026, running under the theme “Accelerating Industrialisation Through Regional Value Chains, Innovation and Trade”, is being hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) and ZimTrade.
More than 1000 delegates and 200 exhibitors from Government, the private sector, SMEs, academia and regional bodies are expected to attend.
A key highlight will be the launch of the State of Industry and 2027 Prospects Report. Dr Soda said the report, compiled by AEDS, is based on research with 2 300 stakeholders, including 2 071 firms and 229 representatives from Government, academia and industry associations.
It covers nine thematic areas to guide implementation of National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (ZNIDP 2).
Participating institutions include the AfCFTA Secretariat, COMESA, UNIDO, UNECA, ALLPI and the World Bank.
Running alongside policy sessions will be a multi-sectoral industrial exhibition showcasing local capabilities in mineral beneficiation, steel, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and digital technology.
Minister Soda was accompanied by Ministry of Industry and Commerce Permanent Secretary Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba and Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) executive director Professor Gift Mugano.
The inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026 officially opens tomorrow at the Harare International Conference Centre, drawing more than 1,000 delegates and 200 exhibitors.
Speaking at a media awareness briefing ahead of the main event, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Zhemu Soda, said a central highlight of the conference will be the official launch of the State of Industry and 2027 Prospects Report.
The publication follows an extensive nationwide research exercise that engaged 2,300 stakeholders, including over 2,000 companies and 229 representatives from government, academia, research institutions, and industry bodies.
Dr Soda stated that the findings evaluate nine critical thematic areas that align directly with the targets of National Development Strategy 2, the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2, and the Local Content Strategy running from 2026 to 2035.
Organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) and ZimTrade, the platform brings together regional economic bodies, diplomatic missions, global financial institutions, and private sector enterprises.
Confirmed international participating organisations include the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, COMESA Secretariat, UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute, and the World Bank.
Highlighting the scope of the forum, the Minister said the conference serves as a strategic driver to accelerate value addition, import substitution, and export expansion.
“This is the first ever national platform where governments, industry, investors, development partners, and academia converge to shape the future of Zimbabwe’s industrial economy,” he said.
“Industrialisation is a deliberate and structured national development process. It requires sound policies, strategic investments, technological advancements, productive industries, competitive enterprises, and an informed citizenry.”
The Minister called on media practitioners to function as strategic partners by effectively translating policy developments and industrial progress into public understanding and investor confidence.
The conference features high-level policy dialogues, technical sessions, and a three-day national industrial exhibition showcasing domestic manufacturing capabilities across agro-processing, mineral beneficiation, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and digital technology.
Deliberations will also centre on industrial financing, infrastructure development, regional integration, and the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies.
The Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) says Zimbabwe is ready to participate and compete in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), driven by a resilient domestic industrial base.
Speaking at a media awareness day ahead of the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Strategy Conference (ZICE 2026), AEDS Executive Director Prof. Gift Mugano stated that the country has established the necessary structural competitiveness to navigate the free trade zone.
“We are ready to participate and compete in the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Mugano, who served as a lead consultant in developing Zimbabwe’s national AfCFTA roadmap, said, adding that local industrial readiness is currently visible across domestic retail and regional export markets.
At the domestic level, he said locally manufactured products now occupy 80% of shelf space in retail outlets.
According to Prof Mugano, defending the domestic market against imports replaces a historically vulnerable industrial setup with a competitive local base, establishing a solid foundation for broader trade participation.
He said the trade momentum is reflected directly in the national export trajectory and foreign exchange performance.
Prof Mugano said total foreign currency earnings are projected to hit an unprecedented US$20 billion milestone in 2026, with exports accounting for roughly 60% of the total.
The AfCFTA, established under the African Union, forms the world’s largest free trade area by total participating countries since the creation of the World Trade Organisation.
Designed to eliminate trade barriers, streamline logistics, and foster continental value chains, the framework connects 55 African nations into a unified market.
For Zimbabwean enterprises, integration opens access to a broader market of 1.3 billion people representing a collective gross domestic product of US$3.4 trillion.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce says Zimbabwe’s industrial sector is undergoing a structural transformation characterised by active factory retooling, improved power grid stability, and expanding output across major value chains.
Speaking during a media awareness briefing ahead of the official opening of the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE 2026), the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba, said domestic firms are positioning themselves to compete in domestic, regional, and international markets.
“The bottom line and the truth is that industry is transforming. It is changing from the industry of the past into a forward-looking industry of the future,” he said.
“A lot of our companies are retooling and positioning themselves to participate effectively in both regional and international markets, not to mention domestic, of course…Power supply has improved, and industrial performance overall is on an upward spiral.”
He cited robust growth signals across crucial sub-sectors, including iron and steel, cement production, food and beverage processing, and an impending revival in the fertiliser industry.
Ambassador Chifamba said the overall upward trajectory in industrial performance has been anchored by noticeable improvements in national power supply, enabling enterprises to scale up capacity utilisation and modernise production lines.
He highlighted an emerging shift in economic perception and opportunity. The Permanent Secretary noted that while some local youth continue to migrate abroad in search of prospects, foreign nationals and young global entrepreneurs are increasingly entering Zimbabwe to tap into emerging industrial opportunities.
Ambassador Chifamba called on the media to drive a positive narrative shift by actively reporting on industrial transformation, market expansions, and progress made along the pathway toward Vision 2030 goals.
The government has called on the media to serve as a co-architect in Zimbabwe’s economic development by framing industrial transformation into a tool for investor confidence and domestic growth.
Speaking at a media awareness briefing in Harare ahead of the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda said the press has a structural responsibility to advance national development priorities.
“As we commence ZICE 2026, I encourage our media practitioners to go beyond reporting proceedings. Let your coverage unpack the substance behind the discussions. Explain how value addition creates jobs and demonstrate how beneficiation increases national wealth,” he said.
“Showcase how industrial innovation improves productivity and competitiveness. You are also required to highlight the opportunities emerging from regional value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Tell the story of how Zimbabwe is positioning itself as a competitive industrial economy.”
He said the media must bridge the gap between policy formulation and public implementation, particularly regarding the Local Content Strategy 2026–2035 and the AfCFTA framework.
The Minister highlighted that media coverage should actively champion local manufacturing by driving consumer awareness around the Made in Zimbabwe campaign to curb reliance on imports.
“One of the strategic priorities of ZICE 2026 is value addition and import substitution,” Dr. Soda stated.
“Zimbabwe continues to import products that can and should be manufactured here locally. Producing more goods within our borders creates employment, conserves foreign currency, strengthens domestic industries, and improves economic resilience.”
He added that media reporting must extend beyond general event proceedings to break down complex emerging industrial trends for the public, including artificial intelligence, Industry 4.0, green manufacturing, and modern production systems.
“As communicators, you are not merely observers of development,” the Minister said. “Through factual, balanced, and analytical reporting, you help citizens understand government programmes and projects, assist investors to identify opportunities, and showcase Zimbabwe’s industrial potential to regional and international markets.”
The three-day ZICE 2026 gathering, organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies and ZimTrade, will feature policy dialogues, investor showcases, and the official release of the State of Industry and 2027 Prospects Report.
