Source: ‘Bulawayo can regain its old status as Zim’s industrial hub’ – herald
Judith Phiri
Zimpapers Business Hub
Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Raj Modi has underscored Bulawayo’s enduring potential to reclaim its status as an industrial hub, noting that fresh investments in the metropolitan area should be directed towards value addition and areas where the city has comparative advantages.
Bulawayo was defined as Zimbabwe’s industrial hub due to its strategic location as a transport and trade link, the presence of major manufacturing industries, and its historical role as the manufacturing capital of the then Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Its industrial base included vehicle assembly, textiles and food processing, while its position on the rail network allowed easy movement of raw materials and finished goods to and from neighbouring countries like South Africa.
This comes as the Government continues to explore initiatives to drive the reindustrialisation agenda through policies and programmes that strengthen local production, empower domestic enterprises, cut the cost of doing business and attract new investment.
Speaking at the recent Bulawayo Business Buy and Sell Exhibition, the deputy minister said rebuilding Bulawayo’s economic potential could be done by focusing on value addition and new investments in key areas like textiles, leather, metal engineering and food processing.
“As a ministry, key pillars of our support include the local content strategy. This national strategy promotes the use of locally produced goods and services across all sectors. By increasing local sourcing, we retain value within the country, stimulate domestic production, and create sustainable jobs,” he said.
“The Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2 (ZNIDP2) (2026–2030) policy emphasises productivity enhancement, technology upgrading, and support for companies in strategic value chains such as textiles, leather, metals, pharmaceuticals, and agro-processing.”
He said the ministry worked with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) and provincial investment desks to guide investors, reduce bureaucracy, and enhance access to industrial land and key infrastructure.
Deputy Minister Modi said through these interventions, his ministry was creating an ecosystem where local manufacturers, innovators and entrepreneurs could thrive.
“The second issue is the importance of value addition. Value addition is at the heart of Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and export growth strategy.
“It means moving from being mere producers of raw materials to processors and manufacturers of finished goods that command higher market value.
“For Bulawayo, value addition has multiple benefits, it revives dormant industries such as textiles, leather, metal engineering and food processing. It creates quality jobs for youth and women,” he added.
“It builds local value chains where cotton becomes clothing, hides become leather goods, and grain becomes processed food. It reduces imports, strengthens the local currency, and improves the balance of trade.”
The ministry is encouraging producers to move up the value chain, while the Government, through the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and its successor, NDS2, is prioritising support for industrial clusters and value chain linkages in key sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, mining and services.
Deputy Minister Modi said that the city’s strategic investment opportunities in the industrial sector positioned it as a natural hub for reindustrialisation and investment.
“There is existing industrial infrastructure in areas such as Belmont, Donnington and Thorngrove, which can be repurposed for modern manufacturing. Bulawayo has a skilled labour force, shaped by decades of industrial excellence.
“The city’s proximity to regional markets makes it ideal for export-oriented production into SADC. Emerging sectors such as renewable energy, creative industries, agro-processing and metal engineering have great potential to attract new capital,” he said.
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