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.