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CBZ Holdings is scaling up its capital mobilisation targets, setting a new benchmark of at least US$1 billion in lines of credit as it leverages its diverse group ecosystem to support corporate growth and regional trade, chief executive Mr Lawrence Nyazema has said.
Speaking at the launch event for CBZ Bank’s revamped affluent banking proposition, Mr Nyazema revealed that the group had initially targeted mobilising half a billion dollars by 2028, building on the successful mobilisation of over US$200 million in offshore lines of credit during 2025.
“Our ambition was to mobilise at least half a billion by 2028,” said Mr Nyazema.
“But I must say, we have decided to revise that ambition.” Stressing that capital must be intelligently deployed to convert ambition into productive capacity, Mr Nyazema noted that businesses require patient funding, trusted advice and efficient market access to weather economic cycles.
Beyond traditional debt and equity financing, Mr Nyazema said the group is pushing to connect Zimbabwean clients to regional and global markets.
A central pillar of this strategy is its ability to facilitate cross-border transactions, including its capacity to process transactions directly in Chinese yuan.
According to Mr Nyazema, the alternative settlement route can reduce payment costs by up to 50 percent compared to certain US dollar channels, while improving turnaround times and flexibility.
CBZ is also harnessing the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) – launched by the group recently – to support intra-African trade. The African union and the African Export-Import Bank launched PAPSS in January 2022.
CBZ Bank is the first Zimbabwean banking institution to officially go live on PAPSS.
“When monocurrency comes, the payment platform becomes a genius innovation,” Mr Nyazema explained, pointing out that businesses will be able to settle regional transactions seamlessly in local tender like ZiG without the friction of intermediate US dollar conversions.
Mr Nyazema highlighted that the group’s financial muscle is reinforced by an interconnected ecosystem spanning banking, insurance, asset management, real estate and agricultural initiatives.
By integrating entities such as Datvest, CBZ Capital, CBZ Properties and Red Sphere, the group aims to deliver synchronised solutions for high-net-worth individuals and corporate partners alike.
Recent strategic developments—including the Mutare dry port initiative rolled out in partnership with the Public Service Pension Fund and the Africa Trade and Distribution Company (Zimbabwe) to advance international trade—further underscore CBZ’s focus on building resilient supply lines and trade corridors.
“The strategic opportunity is to connect these capabilities deliberately, so that when a client enters through one door of CBZ, the full group can respond to the whole opportunity,” said Mr Nyazema.
He stressed that affluent banking will transcend transactional banking to become a comprehensive partnership that addresses the full scope of a client’s financial life, from wealth generation to estate preservation.
“The affluent banking launch is more than a new proposition from CBZ Bank,” he said.
“It is the front door to a broader promise: banking that understands you, investment expertise that grows you, insurance that protects what matters, property opportunities that anchor value, and connections that extend beyond our borders.”
He invited the bank’s clients and partners to “bring us your ambitions, not only your transactions.
“Challenge us to earn a greater share of your trust. Let us help you structure, protect and realise those ambitions.”
