Online Reporter
Mr Aliko Dangote is a brand of global standing. The Nigerian (68) is Africa’s richest person, and number 73 globally, with a network of $30bn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
He owns Dangote Industries Ltd, which has interests in cement manufacturing, oil and gas refining and distribution, food processing, logistics, and real estate in 16 African countries.
When a brand of his profile signals an intention to invest in a jurisdiction, that is a ringing endorsement of the investment climate of that jurisdiction.
Mr Dangote, we reported yesterday, will soon visit our country to advance his quest to invest $1 billion in a cement factory, coal mine, and power plant. He will meet President Mnangagwa and key ministers and Government officials during that visit.
“As much as I had hoped to keep this confidential until the appropriate time,” said journalist-cum-business facilitator, Mrs Josephine Mahachi, who is organising Mr Dangote’s visit, “it has proven difficult given the prominence of the individual involved. As you may recall, I played a pivotal role in facilitating Mr Aliko Dangote’s visit in 2015, and I firmly believe that everything unfolds in God’s perfect timing.
“I am pleased to confirm that Mr Dangote will be returning to Zimbabwe in the near future to explore new investment opportunities. While the exact date is yet to be confirmed, a formal mandate has already been signed.”
Indeed, his planned visit and aim to pour $1 billion into our economy underscore the point that the local investment climate is friendly. If the conditions are conducive enough for Mr Dangote, with all his acumen and experience, they must certainly be good enough for every other investor.
Thus, his impending visit is an endorsement of the investment climate that the Second Republic has been building over the past eight years.
We regret that his two previous visits in 2015 and 2018 did not result in immediate investment decisions, but we are optimistic that despite that miss, his next visit will yield the investment that our country needs as it forges ahead with Vision 2030 of an industrialised, empowered upper-middle-income economy.
With President Mnangagwa having cleared Mr Dangote’s visit, we implore every Government ministry and department to ensure that any impediments that hindered the mogul from investing in the country last time are removed this time.
Our message to all other potential investors across the world is that Zimbabwe is open for business, open for investment.
Opportunities are plenty in mining, energy, logistics, agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, education, infrastructure development and so on.
derick.khumalo