Online Reporter
Tapiwanashe Mangwiro
Zimbabwe’s energy sector surged to the forefront of investment activity in the second quarter of 2025, capturing over 73 percent of the country’s licensed investment value, according to the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA).
Out of the projected US$2,47 billion in new investments, energy projects led the pack, buoyed by a US$1,8 billion natural gas and fertiliser venture in Matabeleland South. ZIDA described it as a “seismic shift” in investor confidence and a strong sign of faith in Zimbabwe’s infrastructure capacity.
Additional licences covered solar and biogas projects including Solgas Energy’s 60MW plant and RADCO’s US$360 million Smart City and Renewable Energy Hub.
To support the green pivot, ZIDA and the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) introduced a new duty rebate under Statutory Instrument 35 of 2025, allowing tax-free imports of solar panels, EV chargers and battery systems.
“Energy infrastructure is a foundation for industrial growth,” ZIDA noted. “These projects lay the groundwork for economic transformation.”
Though the number of new licences dipped, investment sizes grew. Public-private partnerships are also gaining ground such as the US$455 million Hwange Thermal rehabilitation proposal.
“The starting gun has fired,” said ZIDA’s chief facilitator, Felisters Chikandiwa, at the SEAT Africa Summit held in Victoria Falls in May this year.
“And Zimbabwe is running in the right direction.”
Online Reporter