Bulawayo, (New Ziana)–The manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe is poised for a major turnaround, with cement exports projected to start next year in May, while pharmaceutical production rapidly approaches 50 percent of domestic needs, after nearly collapsing to just 8 percent capacity, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndlovu said this was during a panel discussion at the 2025 Zimbabwe Economic Development Conference (ZEDCON) held in Bulawayo, which ran under the theme; “Macroeconomic and Sectoral Policies for Broad-Based Economic Transformation and which convened a diverse group of policy makers, private sector, captains of industry, academia and media representatives.
Ndlovu outlined a comprehensive blueprint for economic transformation that leverages both mega-investments and policy reforms to rebuild the nation’s industrial base.
“We have become a market because our economy is doing so well. The construction sector is booming, but the manufacturing sector was left behind in being able to provide or to support this growing economy. My projection is that by May next year, this country will be exporting cement and the price of cement will be competitive in the region,” he said.
He added that the construction boom created unprecedented demand for building materials, turning the nation into a net importer of cement despite local production capacity.
Ndhlovu highlighted two major investments that will assist the country to reduce cement imports while boosting exports.
“We have two mega investments that are taking place, one in Chegutu. It’s a very big intervention for our economy. There is another one again in Magunje area in Mashonaland West province. Mashonaland West alone is receiving in excess of US$1 billion in manufacturing investments this year, signaling strong investor confidence in the region’s industrial potential,” he said.
The expansion comes as the cement industry in neighboring Zambia shows modest growth projections of just 1 percent annually, with exports expected to reach US$64.6 million by 2026, presenting a potential regional market for Zimbabwean exports .
Ndlovu said the country`s pharmaceutical industry has also rebounded from near-collapse to nearing self-sufficiency.
“We believe that we can produce up to 50 percent of our drugs. At one time through CAPS, we were producing 90 percent of our drug requirements. We had fallen to as low as 8 percent. We are now back to around 30 percent and want to push that to 50 percent by the end of next year,” he said.
He explained that the Cabinet has directed that domestic manufacturing capacity be fully utilised.
“This will address a critical alignment issue where we are importing what we are exporting. We have companies here that are manufacturing drugs that they are exporting because our own hospitals don’t buy from them. They end up exporting outside. We import those drugs. Government is now fast-tracking the exhaustion of existing import contracts to prioritize local manufacturers,” he explained.
Ndlovu said the government was also prioritising decentralised industrial development to create employment and slow urban migration.
“With more than 60 percent of the Zimbabwean population living in rural areas, Government is prioritizing decentralized industrial development to create employment and slow urban migration. This is both an economic imperative and social necessity. This rural focus aligns with broader manufacturing growth initiatives similar to those seen in neighboring countries like Zambia, where manufacturing accounts for 8 percent of GDP and offers opportunities in multiple sub-sectors,” he said.
New Ziana
