ZIMBABWE will host a major industrialisation conference in July aimed at attracting domestic and foreign investment into manufacturing and mineral processing as the government seeks to revive industry, create jobs and reduce dependence on raw commodity exports.
The Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026, organised by the Industry and Commerce ministry in partnership with economic think-tank Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS), will take place in Bulawayo on July 23-24.
The event comes as the government is pushing to accelerate industrial growth under its Vision 2030 development agenda and a new industrial policy framework that prioritises value-addition, export competitiveness and integration into regional supply chains.
“Organised in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, The Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE) 2026 is a premier, market-driven platform designed to unlock investment, catalyse industrial partnerships and accelerate Zimbabwe’s transition into a competitive manufacturing and industrial economy,” a circular read.
“The inaugural edition is framed not as a talk shop, but as a practical deal-making and investment facilitation platform centred on execution, financing and partnerships.
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“ZICE 2026 is designed as a multi-stakeholder, high-impact platform, bringing together decision-makers across the entire industrial ecosystem.”
Organisers said the conference would bring together policy-makers, manufacturers, mining companies, financiers, development finance institutions and regional trade bodies in a bid to mobilise capital for industrial projects and facilitate business partnerships.
The event is being positioned as a deal-making platform focused on project financing and investment opportunities rather than a traditional policy conference.
Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector, once one of the strongest in southern Africa, has struggled for decades due to economic instability, power shortages, currency volatility and limited access to long-term financing.
Authorities hope increased investment in productive sectors can help reverse the decline while boosting exports and economic growth.
Priority sectors at the conference will include mining and mineral beneficiation, agro-processing, iron and steel production, energy, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles and construction materials.
Organisers said discussions would focus on expanding local value chains and increasing domestic processing of strategic minerals such as lithium, platinum, chrome
and gold.
A key focus will be opportunities linked to the Manhize steel project, one of the country’s largest industrial investments, which the government sees as a foundation for downstream manufacturing and heavy industry development.
The conference will also feature structured business-to-business meetings designed to connect investors with project developers, manufacturers and government agencies.
The conference is aligned with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 and the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy for 2026-2030, which seek to increase industrial output and strengthen manufacturing as a driver of economic growth.
Analysts say attracting sustained investment into industry will require progress in addressing long-standing constraints including electricity shortages, infrastructure deficits, policy uncertainty and the high cost of capital.
