Buy Zimbabwe: ICT leads the way

are determined to carve their niche in an increasingly complex and sometimes ruthless market economy.
Nowhere was this more evident than at the just ended Euromoney Conference.
One workshop held during the conference brought leading business people that comprised Mr Tawanda Nyambirai, group CEO TN Holdings; Mr Douglas Mboweni of Econet Wireless; and Mr Davison Norupiri, chairman of Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, to unpack how local demand could be induced in an illiquid market.
In other words can Buy Zimbabwe succeed amid the difficulties in accessing finance (my own interpretation)
The growth of the ICT industry in general and the cellphone market in particular suggested that, while the market is indeed harsh Zimbabwe is headed in the right direction.
In my own words again consumers are keen on buying Zimbabwe despite the challenges.
With respect to ICT, in less than two years the cellphone penetration has grown to an average of 66 percent and overtaken the African average, Internet usage has gone from minimal percentages to 15 percent against global average of around 32 percent. Trends seem to point to continued growth in this sector.
But what also came out was that innovation, risk taking and staying close to the customer was central to driving demand. A mindset that retreats into its own shell during a time of crisis emerged as the biggest obstacle to getting the Zimbabwean consumers loyalty. The high level of literacy, among the general populace was cited as an opportunity for those daring to take risk and a major cost to businesses that are risk averse. Mr Mboweni was clear that the driving force towards his company‘s major expansion was marketing irrespective of the changing seasons’ highs and lows.
He also cited policy congruence between policy makers and industry as a key factor that has driven the success story. With respect to imports I also found the definition of raw materials interesting.
The telecommunications industry considers the cellphone gadget as an input (of course that can change with time).
Their business in this case is in building the requisite brands and services to offer to their customers.
Some of these brands like the various banking products also become means through which Zimbabwe can make money from abroad. In this case just merely having the gadget allows a person in rural areas who rarely calls internationally to induce demand by Diasporans.
Such money comes into Zimbabwe and is used to employ locals, who then get to consume more. That should be the central point of the forthcoming Buy Zimbabwe conference and Exhibition.
To provide practical solutions and demonstrable value chains between policy, production and marketing sector for key sectors, in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and ICT.
It’s great that the CZI through its president Mr Joseph Kanyekanye have embraced the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign that should indeed provide impetus to an interesting and focused discussion.
The exclusion of the media at these conferences is most disheartening. Clearly we can’t blame the ZBC for many ills without calling them to be part of the initiative.
We can’t on one hand say they are a key player and have contributed to so much damage and yet turn around and say they are irrelevant.
ZBC is an important player in all-national debates. They shape opinions, they are an important channel and must necessarily be accorded space to interact and exchange viewpoints.
For the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign to succeed all media must be part of it.
l For comments, contributions and enquiries please contact Buy Zimbabwe at 22 Broadlands Rd Mt Pleasant Harare cell 077 2714 233 or e-mail: [email protected] or join us on facebook Buy Zimbabwe campaign