The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Dr Thomas Utete Wushe, has called for an urgent national shift towards increased domestic production.
In his address, at the 2026 Buy Local Conference held at Manna Resorts in Harare, Dr Wushe stressed that Zimbabwe must decisively reduce reliance on imports by strengthening local industries and promoting consumption of domestically produced goods.
“There is need for a collective mindset shift across the economy. Industry must produce competitively, retailers must prioritise local goods and consumers, including corporates, must deliberately support Zimbabwean products,” he said.
Dr Wushe identified strategic sectors critical to Zimbabwe’s industrial transformation, highlighting agro-processing, iron and steel production, fertiliser manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and mineral beneficiation as key value chains that must be prioritised.
“These sectors have the capacity to anchor industrial growth and unlock broad-based economic development if adequately supported. We must ensure that our natural resources and agricultural outputs translate into finished goods that benefit our economy,” he added.
The Permanent Secretary reaffirmed Government’s commitment to industrialisation through a range of policy frameworks, including – the Local Content Strategy (2026–2035); the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (ZNIDP2); and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
“Government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for industry through reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and strengthening private sector participation.
Collaboration between Government, industry and consumers is essential in achieving sustainable industrial growth and reducing the import bill,” Dr Wushe noted.
The conference comes at a time when Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to build a resilient and self-sufficient economy by promoting value addition and beneficiation across key sectors.
The Buy Local initiative is part of Government’s efforts to stimulate local production, create employment and enhance economic resilience through increased support for locally produced goods and services.
