Source: Zim eyes trade boom as ZITF roars into life – herald
Nqobile Bhebhe
Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2026 roars into life in Bulawayo tomorrow, as the high-impact trade and investment platform looks to drive Zimbabwe’s accelerated export growth, attract capital inflows and integrate into global value chains.
The 66th edition of ZITF, running under the theme “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries”, will take place from April 20 to 25 at the Zimbabwe International Conference and Exhibition Smart City.
Botswana President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko is expected to officially open the exhibition.
ZITF remains one of the largest multi-sectoral trade exhibitions in Sub-Saharan Africa, drawing exhibitors, investors and business delegates from across the region and beyond.
The annual trade showcase, now a flagship economic event, is expected to attract a diverse mix of international exhibitors, investors and buyers, reaffirming its role as a strategic trade conduit linking Zimbabwean enterprises with regional and global markets.
Beyond the spectacle of exhibition stands, stakeholders say ZITF must deliver hard, bankable outcomes: export contracts, joint ventures and investment deals that directly feed into industrial output, foreign currency generation and gross domestic product (GDP) growth.
According to the ZITF 2025 report on business done, the total value of leads generated by 154 respondents who participated in last year’s exhibition ranged between US$47,6 million and US$60,7 million.
“Contrary to the often-touted notion that the ZITF is a talk show, the platform continues to grow as a place where business is done and key agreements are signed,” reads the report.
“This year, the total business leads generated at ZITF are statistically estimated to be between US$296 million and US$379 million.
“The total value of agreements signed amounted to US$18 million. It must be noted that not all negotiations between counterparties that began at ZITF 2025 were concluded during ZITF, and some will be concluded during the year.
“As the show organiser, we continue to encourage our exhibitors and delegates to see ZITF as a potent platform where business is concluded, products and services are launched for the first time, and major transformational agreements are signed.
“We look forward to recording above US$1 billion in deals signed in future years. Exhibitors and delegates can look forward to a higher return on investment when attending ZITF.”
Based on the estimated value of business generated in 2025, trade analyst Mr Timothy Moyo said the exhibition should be viewed as a transactional platform rather than a ceremonial gathering.
“ZITF is essentially a deal-making arena where supply meets demand at scale,” he said.
“The key performance indicators here are not foot traffic, but signed memoranda of understanding, secured export orders and capital commitments. We are talking about converting exhibition visibility into revenue streams and export earnings.”
He said Zimbabwe must leverage the fair to deepen export diversification and reduce overreliance on primary commodities.
“This is an opportunity to move up the value chain from raw exports to beneficiated and manufactured goods with higher margins. ZITF should catalyse that structural shift,” said Mr Moyo.
Economist Ms Rutendo Chikasha said exposure to international competition at the fair exerts necessary pressure on local industries to enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
“ZITF creates a quasi-market environment where local firms are forced to benchmark against global best practice,” she said. “It drives productivity gains, innovation cycles and quality upgrading — all critical for export competitiveness.”
Ms Chikasha said the exhibition should instil a culture of performance-driven production within domestic industries.
“We need firms that are export-ready, meaning they can meet volume thresholds, comply with international standards and maintain supply consistency,” she said.
“Without economies of scale and quality assurance, penetration into global markets remains constrained. There must be a deliberate pipeline from engagement to execution. Lead generation is important, but what matters is deal conversion. We need structured follow-through mechanisms to translate business leads into actual trade flows and investment inflows.”
Addressing the media on Thursday, ZITF Company board chairperson Mr Busisa Moyo said the exhibition was increasingly being positioned as private sector-driven.
“We have been probing and pushing for the embassies to invite their private sector companies to come to ZITF so that the interactions are much richer,” he said.
“We know that there are special delegations coming as part of ZITF from India, Ethiopia and Belarus that the embassies have invited.
“That is the sort of learning that we want for the future — that the exhibition is private sector-driven.”
Dr Moyo said overall readiness for the exhibition was high, with strong uptake across both public and private sectors; Government participation sits at 42 percent, while the private sector accounts for 58 percent of space uptake.
“I need to underscore that the 42 percent also includes enabling public sector institutions such as ZimTrade. The private sector wants to interact with ZimTrade, so they are included in the 42 percent,” he said.
“Another organisation is the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Authority (ZIDA). The private sector is looking for investment, so ZIDA being present at ZITF is absolutely important.”
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which contribute significantly to Zimbabwe’s economic activity, are also expected to leverage the platform to access new markets and integrate into broader supply chains.
SME development expert Dr Lindiwe Ncube said the exhibition offers critical market access, but warned that visibility alone was insufficient.
“SMEs must transition from exhibition to commercialisation,” she said. “That means scaling production capacity, securing working capital and meeting export compliance requirements. Without that, participation remains symbolic rather than transformative.”
She emphasised the importance of linkages and clustering in driving SME growth.
“We need to plug SMEs into established value chains, both domestic and international. ZITF can facilitate these linkages, enabling smaller firms to become suppliers within larger export ecosystems,” said Dr Ncube.
As Zimbabwe intensifies its re-engagement thrust, ZITF also serves as a barometer of investor sentiment and a signal of the country’s openness to business.
Dr Ncube said the fair should project Zimbabwe as a competitive and reliable trade partner.
“This is a platform to demonstrate investment readiness and policy consistency,” she said. “Investors are looking for bankable projects, predictable regulatory frameworks and clear return on investment. ZITF must communicate that Zimbabwe is open for scalable, sustainable business.”
She said the country must present a compelling export proposition anchored in value addition and industrial capacity.
“We must shift the narrative from resource extraction to value creation. ‘The global market rewards countries that can deliver finished goods, not just raw materials,” she said.
As Bulawayo becomes the focus of trade and commerce this week, expectations are high that ZITF 2026 will deliver measurable economic dividends that extend well beyond the exhibition grounds.
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