ZIMBABWEAN business leaders and entrepreneurs should scale up local production, streamline cross-border trade and address structural challenges that continue to stifle regional competitiveness.
This was the key takeaway from the 2026 Enterprise Leaders & Innovators Society for Africa Business Summit held recently in Hwange under the theme Business Beyond Borders.
The summit brought together entrepreneurs, institutional investors and industry experts from across Africa to discuss strategies for long-term economic growth and continental integration.
Speakers stressed that Zimbabwe, with its wealth of human and natural resources, is uniquely positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities in Africa’s increasingly interconnected markets.
Investor, banker and economist Nigel Chanakira highlighted the urgent need for Zimbabwe to embrace local production instead of relying on imports.
“I think we should now be thinking about the opportunity we have to scale and look across Africa,” he said.
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Chanakira said sustainable business models should be accessible, inclusive and responsible, adding that these principles were critical for long-term growth.
“To be sustainable, in my mind, there are three components. It has to be accessible, inclusive and it has to be responsible for how you are doing business,” he said.
Using the example of electric vehicles (EVs), Chanakira noted that despite having abundant local resources such as lithium, African countries continue to import EVs instead of building local manufacturing capacity.
Echoing Chanakira’s sentiments, Ecosystem Architect Entrepreneurship for Everyone chief executive Thomas Hillin urged businesses to prioritise local production to enhance reliability, build capacity and strengthen value chains.
“More products should be made here. When you manufacture locally, you are less dependent on transportation, making supply more reliable,” he said.
“You can also build capacity when production is closer to the market.
“Businesses must rethink their models — whether they sell directly, through distributors or resellers, or partner local producers and brand the products.”
The summit also focused on regional trade and policy issues.
Green Giraffe co-founder and chief executive Joseph Simukoko highlighted the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area in unlocking cross-border trade opportunities.
“While we continue to talk about the African Continental Free Trade Area, tariffs in many countries are still in place,” Simukoko said.
“It’s a transitional process, but it presents an opportunity for Africa and for Zimbabwe.”
International Centre for Professional Development chief executive Elisabeth Valerio emphasised the importance of clear policies, co-ordination and disciplined execution to enable businesses to scale beyond domestic markets.
“We need clearer standards, stronger coordination and disciplined execution,” Valerio said.
“The purpose of this summit is not ceremonial. It’s about establishing clarity. We need sales execution across our African markets. We need supply chain resilience.
“But there is also structural opportunity in working across the globe with global partners within global markets.”
Africa Business Inc chief executive Stephene Chikosho said implementing trade policies across the continent remained a major challenge.
“We have talked extensively about intra-African trade, but in practice, many African countries trade more with China because of the infrastructure the Chinese have developed, which addresses challenges we have struggled to solve ourselves,” he said.
Sincpoint chief executive Labogang Letsoala said Africa’s abundant natural resources remained underutilised, weakening the continent’s position in global trade.
She called for the standardisation of regulations, including tariffs and improvements to transport corridors and border infrastructure.
“If we do not fix corridors, border posts and supporting infrastructure, the idea of free trade loses meaning,” Letsoala said.