Harare, (New Ziana) – Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Monica Mutsvangwa, has called on the country’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to boldly embrace opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a gateway to growth, competitiveness, and sustainable industrialisation.
Speaking at the National Capacity Building Engagement on Unlocking Opportunities for SMEs under AfCFTA in Harare, Mutsvangwa said the landmark trade agreement – the largest in the world by membership – offers unprecedented prospects for Zimbabwean businesses to expand beyond national borders.
“This engagement is more than just a gathering; it is a transformative platform to shape a new era of growth, prosperity, and opportunity for every Zimbabwean,” she said. “SMEs are the backbone of our economy, and their success will determine how effectively we leverage AfCFTA to integrate into continental value chains.”
Mutsvangwa noted that SMEs make up over 70 percent of Zimbabwe’s enterprises and that empowering them to compete regionally is critical to unlocking the country’s full economic potential.
She highlighted AfCFTA’s benefits, including the removal of tariffs on most goods, easier access to a US$3.4 trillion market of 1.3 billion people, and opportunities to participate in regional supply chains.
However, she warned that the path ahead required strategic action, citing key challenges such as lack of awareness, limited access to finance, logistical bottlenecks, and intense competition from larger African firms.
“Information asymmetry, financing constraints, and infrastructural limitations remain real barriers,” she said. “But through targeted national strategies, improved border efficiency, and innovative financing mechanisms, Government is determined to create an enabling environment for SMEs to thrive.”
Mutsvangwa also stressed the importance of women’s participation, noting that women constitute 56.4 percent of SMEs in Zimbabwe but face unique hurdles such as harassment at border posts, high certification costs, and the digital divide.
“The AfCFTA’s protocol on women offers a critical framework to address these inequalities. Women must not be left behind in this continental transformation,” she said.
She applauded the Economic Commission for Africa Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa (ECA SRO-SA) and the Government of Denmark for their technical and financial support in organising the event.
She said that similar training initiatives are being rolled out nationwide, with the next session scheduled for Bulawayo later this week.
“As we work together – Government, development partners, and the private sector – we will ensure that SMEs are not just participants but leaders in Africa’s economic renaissance,” Mutsvangwa said. “The future of Zimbabwe’s prosperity rests on the innovation and resilience of our entrepreneurs.”
The engagement forms part of Zimbabwe’s broader National AfCFTA Strategy, which seeks to boost trade readiness, strengthen value chains, and position local SMEs as competitive players in regional and global markets.
New Ziana
