Online Reporter
Tapiwanashe Mangwiro, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE must adopt a more deliberate and co-ordinated strategy for engaging global capital market investors to unlock funding for infrastructure, industrialisation and long term growth, CBZ Holdings chief executive Mr Lawrence Nyazema has said.
Speaking in a media interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Mr Nyazema said Zimbabwe’s consistent presence at the global platform since 2018 marked a significant step in rebuilding relationships with international capital after decades of limited engagement.
“As Zimbabwe and as CBZ, I would say we have been out in the cold for the past 30 years. Some call them sanctions, some call them restrictive measures, but it is always important to engage and re-engage with where capital is found across the globe. That is the main reason we are here,” Mr Nyazema told television network CNBC Africa.
CBZ formed part of the Zimbabwean delegation at WEF 2026, led by Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, together with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira.
This came as the country sought to showcase investment opportunities and consolidate ongoing economic reforms.
Mr Nyazema said Zimbabwe’s future participation at Davos should evolve into a unified “Team Zimbabwe” approach, bringing together Government, financial institutions and investment promotion agencies under one co-ordinated message.
“When I look at Davos going forward, it will be important for us to come back as Team Zimbabwe. That means CBZ, the two ministries (Treasury and Foreign Affairs), Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida), ZimTrade and institutions like Mutapa (Investment Fund). If we can get that kind of collective presence, we would have done well,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe could learn from West African economies such as Nigeria, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, which have drawn substantial investment by being intentional and organised in their engagement with global investors.
“I went into Nigeria House and you could see how organised they were. A lot of investment is going into West Africa because they have been deliberate about attracting global capital,” Mr Nyazema said.
At the forum, CBZ used the WEF platform to establish partnerships with global investors and position itself as a conduit between international capital and domestic opportunities.
Investor interest in Zimbabwe has been rising, with more than 200 new investment licences issued in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a shift towards tangible, sector specific projects.
Mining, energy, agriculture and manufacturing have emerged as leading areas of interest, supported by business reforms and improving macroeconomic stability following the introduction of the gold backed Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency.
“Davos gives us a direct platform to engage global capital, development partners and policymakers. For CBZ Group, it is about positioning Zimbabwe as investable, bankable and open for sustainable growth,” Mr Nyazema said.
During the forum, Mr Nyazema also participated in discussions on Africa financing its own development, challenging the perception that the continent lacks capital.
“There is a general belief that Africa does not have capital, but that is a myth. We have at least US$2 trillion in pension funds, insurance funds and sovereign wealth funds.
“The challenge is that most of that money is invested in the West, earning barely one percent, while African countries borrow at double digit rates,” he said.
The CBZ boss also underscored the growing importance of Africa’s diaspora remittances, which now exceed US$100 billion annually, surpassing combined foreign aid and foreign direct investment flows into the continent.
Mr Nyazema said Africa must be more deliberate in beneficiating its natural resources, noting that processed minerals can generate up to 10 times more value than raw exports.
He emphasised the urgency of operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), arguing that Africa’s long term growth would depend on increased intra African trade.
“Our development will come from the 54 African countries doing more business together, just as Europe developed through inter European trade,” he said.
On mobilising African capital, Mr Nyazema cited Afreximbank’s approach of offering higher returns to African central banks to repatriate offshore funds, enabling development finance institutions to underwrite more projects.
He cautioned, however, against heavy handed regulation, arguing that well designed legislation was more effective in influencing capital flows.
“I do not believe in legislating. I believe in creating the right incentives and vehicles that allow money to come back home,” he said.
The 2026 WEF, held under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”, drew record participation from political leaders and global business executives, with discussions dominated by geopolitics, climate change and technology.
Mr Nyazema said Zimbabwe could not afford to remain on the margins of such global conversations.
“Yes, we are a small economy, but we are a growing economy. We have to talk to the West, the East and everywhere capital is found so that we address our infrastructure deficit and create the economy that we deserve,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s improving macroeconomic stability — reflected in lower inflation, a stabilising exchange rate and stronger reserves — has strengthened its investment case, with economic growth projected at 6,6 percent in 2025 and expected to remain robust thereafter.
For CBZ and the country, Mr Nyazema said the measure of success would come long after the Davos engagements.
“Success is measured in the deals structured, the partnerships formed and the projects funded. That is where the real value lies, for CBZ Group and for Zimbabwe,” he said.
