Online Reporter
Business Reporter
STAKEHOLDERS at the inaugural Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo 2026 held in Harare recently have adopted a 16-point resolution framework to propel manufacturing, expand local value chains and boost trade.
This comes as the manufacturing sector continues to demonstrate steady growth, with its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanding from 16,8 percent in 2025 to 17,1 percent in the first quarter of 2026.
Official trade data shows that manufactured export earnings surged from US$175,8 million in 2021 to US$228,7 million in 2023, before rising sharply to US$437,6 million in 2024 and reaching US$584,8 million in 2025.
Despite the positive gains, concerns remain as Zimbabwe continues to import more than US$2,5 billion worth of goods annually, which can be manufactured locally.
This presents significant scope for expanding domestic industrial capacity.
To substitute these imports and strengthen local value chains, the Government has identified key priority sectors for targeted intervention.
The focus areas include expanding milk production and processing, strengthening sugarcane production and refining operations, and boosting chemical inputs for local fertiliser compounding.
The strategy focuses on increasing domestic production of essential medicines and consumables within the pharmaceutical industry, as well as rebuilding textile lint processing, ginning and apparel manufacturing in the cotton and clothing sector.
The proposals include prioritising hide processing, tanning and footwear production, accelerating oilseed crushing for stock feeds, and mineral beneficiation and fabrication in the steel sector.
The high-level event was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS), a local economic development think tank; and ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion body.
Presenting the resolutions, AEDS executive director Professor Gift Mugano outlined plans to establish a regulatory environment that will direct pension funds towards low-interest industrial financing.
The resolution proposes the creation of a dedicated industrial development bank responsible for mobilising domestic and foreign capital — including pension funds, prescribed assets and development finance — to provide long-term funding for local businesses.
Stakeholders resolved to introduce competitive fiscal and non-fiscal incentive packages to encourage private investment and build regional value chains.
Furthermore, a new de-risking framework will be deployed for co-financed infrastructure projects to attract private sector funding and increase project bankability.
To enhance domestic capacity, delegates agreed to prioritise local production and procurement, aiming to reduce the national import bill, build domestic capacity and generate local employment.
The conference agreed to finance critical industrial infrastructure, including power, water, roads, rail and ICT (information and communication technology), using public-private partnerships and build-operate-transfer arrangements.
To improve market access, delegates agreed to launch a comprehensive export incentive package alongside a single electronic export processing window.
The resolutions prioritise legislative reforms and investment packages to accelerate rural industrialisation under the national devolution programme, while leveraging spatial development initiatives and economic corridors to expand regional trade.
Prof Mugano highlighted strong commitments to build direct links between universities, research centres and private industries to commercialise local research and advance a knowledge-driven economy.
Similarly, participants agreed to integrate women, the youth and vulnerable communities into the Fourth Industrial Revolution by using artificial intelligence to build digital skills.
Industry leaders committed to green industrialisation by encouraging renewable energy adoption, resource-efficient production and low-carbon technologies.
Finally, delegates agreed to align national skills training with present and future manufacturing needs, while establishing an inclusive ecosystem uniting the Government, private enterprise, the academia, development partners and regional economic bodies.
The newly appointed committees will begin tracking implementation progress immediately across all 16 thematic focus areas.
Prof Mugano revealed that dedicated oversight committees will be established to monitor and drive the implementation of each resolution.
He emphasised that the follow-up committees will ensure the agreed measures translate into measurable economic outputs and real industrial expansion rather than remaining on paper.
Addressing a press conference at the close of the event, Prof Mugano highlighted the major resolution stemming from President Mnangagwa’s address — an end to importing goods that can be produced locally.
He noted that Zimbabwe currently imports approximately US$2,5 billion worth of manufactured products that have the potential to be produced locally.
“(The President said) no more importation of goods which we can produce locally, not anymore. Let’s domesticate that,” said Prof Mugano.
“And that’s the policy framework of local content that has been endorsed by the highest office. So, what more can you ask for?
“He’s actually re-emphasising the policy position of the Government. But I also think the quality of presenters coming from the World Bank, the United Nations, the private sector and the Government was very balanced to address the specific needs which we wanted to address.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba said the conference provided a decisive assessment of the country’s economic industrial trajectory, highlighting evidence-based insights and a shift towards rapid growth.
Ambassador Chifamba emphasised that the conference sessions were highly interactive and grounded in rigorous research.
“The working documents for this conference are a result of a very detailed study covering more than 2 000 firms and other stakeholders,” he said, adding that “numbers don’t lie”.
He noted that the direct participation of businesses allowed industry leaders to speak openly about operating in the current environment.
Ambassador Chifamba described the conference as forward-looking and filled with potential, particularly within key sectors like iron, steel and fertiliser value chains.
“There is still a lot of space for downstream industry. Most of the actions that are happening now are still very early stages,” he noted.
Ambassador Chifamba called for a shift in how the country views its industrial trajectory.
“Let us move away from previous narratives of hopelessness, of decline and come up with a new narrative of an industry that is on the resurgence,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to “accelerate industrialisation” in pursuit of Vision 2030 targets.
Speaking during the event, prominent industrialist and former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Kumbirayi Katsande described the manufacturing sector’s growth into a key economic driver as encouraging.
He noted that substantial opportunities remain to drive progress even further, pointing out that the sector historically contributed around 26 percent to the national GDP.
