The Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) has launched a nationwide provincial investment drive aimed at attracting domestic and foreign capital into Zimbabwe’s provinces as Government intensifies efforts to promote decentralised economic development, industrialisation and job creation under the devolution agenda.
The investment drive is being rolled out through a series of provincial investment dialogues that bring together Government, local authorities, development partners, financial institutions and the private sector to identify, package and promote bankable projects aligned with each province’s comparative advantages.
Speaking at the inaugural Mashonaland Central Provincial Investment Dialogue, Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) chief executive officer, Tafadzwa Chinamo, said the success of devolution would depend on provinces developing bankable investment projects rather than relying solely on policy frameworks.
“While policies provide frameworks, projects must deliver results. As such, the devolution policy must translate into bankable projects that attract investors. The ideas must solve problems, create value and attract capital. The proposed projects must demonstrate profitability, scalability and sustainability,” said Mr Chinamo.
He said Government’s decentralised investment strategy presents an opportunity for provinces to harness their unique comparative advantages, turning local resources into productive industries that stimulate economic activity and create employment. It also seeks to unlock local resources, stimulate value addition and position every province as a competitive investment destination.
Mr Chinamo identified rural industrialisation as one of Zimbabwe’s most significant untapped opportunities, saying it should form the cornerstone of the country’s broader economic transformation agenda.
He noted that Zimbabwe’s abundant agricultural land, mineral resources and human capital provide a strong foundation for expanding value addition and beneficiation, enabling communities to derive greater economic benefits from locally available resources instead of exporting raw commodities.
Mr Chinamo said investors are increasingly looking for projects with sound commercial fundamentals and measurable economic returns.
“What makes a project bankable is clear commercial viability and value proposition, clear sources of revenue streams, validated market demand, risk identification and mitigation, strong governance and legal compliance, scalability and measurable economic impact,” he said.
He observed that many promising investment opportunities fail to secure financing because they are poorly prepared and lack the technical and financial structures required by investors.
“The solution must be technically sound, supported by market demand, and include a clear assessment of capital expenditure, operational expenditure, profitability and returns to investors. Without adequate preparation and investment readiness, attracting capital is next to impossible,” he said.
The provincial investment dialogues form part of Government’s broader strategy to decentralise economic development by empowering provinces to identify, package and market investment opportunities aligned with their resource endowments. The approach is expected to reduce regional development disparities, strengthen local value chains and stimulate inclusive economic growth across the country.
The initiative also complements the Second Republic’s drive to build an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 through increased investment, industrialisation and private sector participation in provincial development.
