Online Reporter
Business Writer
The Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe (CIFOZ) will this month bring together industry players, policymakers, financiers and international experts in Bulawayo for its 2026 Annual General Meeting and Congress, scheduled for 23-25 September 2026 in Bulawayo.
The AGM and Congress will be held under the theme “Creating a Resilient Construction Industry for National Development.”
According to Cifoz, the construction industry remains a key pillar of national development as Zimbabwe pursues economic growth and infrastructure expansion.
The federation said the sector needs to strengthen its capacity, adopt new technologies and embrace sustainable building practices to remain competitive.
One of the major focus areas of the congress will be the mobilisation of resources for large-scale infrastructure projects, where local firms often face financial and technical constraints when competing independently for major contracts.
At the conference, Cifoz is seeking to promote joint ventures, consortia and partnerships involving local, regional and international contractors, as a way of pooling resources and expertise for mega-projects.
The congress will also explore opportunities to unlock domestic and international capital for infrastructure development, including through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Under its first key pillar, “Policy, PPP Frameworks and Sustainable Finance,” Cifoz will examine regulatory frameworks, bankability and risk mitigation for infrastructure PPPs, and also explore ways of increasing access to domestic and international capital from institutional investors, insurers and development finance institutions.
The second pillar, “Strategic Alliances, Consortia and Capacity Building,” will focus on structuring equitable joint ventures between local contractors and international entities, as well as consortium models for large infrastructure projects in areas such as highways, dams, energy and commercial developments.
In its concept note, Cifoz noted that technology and innovation will form the third pillar, with discussions expected to cover digitalisation, renewable energy, sustainable materials, green building standards and developments in heavy equipment, materials science and digital construction technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and modular construction.
Cifoz said the congress also intends to create a platform for high-level dialogue between Government, financial institutions, equipment manufacturers, contractors and other stakeholders on policies affecting the built environment.
The federation expects the gathering to produce an actionable PPP and consortium framework to assist members in forming bankable joint ventures for national projects.
It also anticipates that delegates will develop a resilience roadmap containing policy recommendations to help the construction industry withstand financial and supply-chain shocks.
Other expected outcomes include cross-border and local business partnerships, equipment-supplier linkages and project consortia, as well as policy recommendations to Government on priority reforms for the built environment.
The congress comes as Zimbabwe continues to pursue major infrastructure investments in energy, transport, housing and other sectors, increasing demand for a stronger domestic construction industry capable of participating meaningfully in large projects.
The congress is expected to attract a broad cross-section of stakeholders from Zimbabwe and the Sadc region.
Government and diplomatic representatives, including Cabinet ministers, senior officials, ambassadors and municipal authorities, are expected to participate in discussions on infrastructure policy, regulation and project implementation.
The gathering will also bring together built-environment professionals such as civil engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, town planners and project managers, alongside large, medium-sized and emerging contractors and subcontractors.
Manufacturers and suppliers of construction materials, heavy machinery, earthmoving equipment and construction technologies are also expected to attend, providing opportunities to strengthen supply-chain linkages and explore new technologies.
Financial institutions will be another key component of the congress, with commercial banks, development finance institutions, insurers and risk-management specialists expected to discuss project financing, guarantees, performance bonds and risk mitigation.
Academia and research institutions will also participate, particularly in discussions around innovation, construction standards, materials research, sustainability and the adoption of new technologies.
For the construction sector, the conference presents an opportunity to shift from fragmented project participation towards stronger partnerships, improved access to finance and greater adoption of technology as the country accelerates infrastructure development.
