By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The government says local companies must improve product quality and increase the use of domestic materials if the country is to fully benefit from trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the Buy Zimbabwe ZimBrands 2026 Awards recently, Deputy Finance Minister David Kudakwashe Mnangagwa said the government was deliberately pursuing industrialisation under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) to expand manufacturing and boost exports.
He said manufacturing currently contributes around 18% to Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product (GDP), with authorities aiming to raise that figure to 25% under the development strategy.
“This is a very deliberate plan by the Government. What we would want as Government is to make sure that the confidence and trust deficit that might exist closes,” he said.
Mnangagwa said industrial capacity utilisation had risen steadily since 2019 to between 56% and 57%, while locally produced goods now account for nearly two-thirds of products sold in major retail stores.
“We now have 66%, that’s two-thirds of the products in all stores being Zimbabwean,” he said.
He said the achievement was significant given Zimbabwe’s dollarised economy and competition from imports, counterfeit goods and smuggled products.
“Being competitive against imports, counterfeit goods and smuggled goods, and still being able to fill the shelves with two-thirds of our products is something to be proud of as Zimbabweans,” he added.
Deputy Industry and Commerce Minister Raj Modi said Zimbabwean manufacturers now needed to focus on innovation and higher standards to compete regionally.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area provides a major opportunity for our industries to access wider markets. To benefit fully, our businesses must continue improving product quality,” he said.
Modi warned that changing consumer habits, technological advances and growing regional competition meant local industries could not afford complacency.
“Zimbabwean brands must therefore continue to innovate, improve standards, and remain responsive to market demands,” he said.
Meanwhile, Buy Zimbabwe chief executive Munyaradzi Hwengwere said increasing genuine Zimbabwean content in products remained one of the biggest challenges facing local industry.
Under AfCFTA rules, products must contain at least 40% local content to qualify for trade preferences across African markets.
“The next frontier is the greater use of Zimbabwean insignia, but to attach that insignia to a local content threshold,” Hwengwere said.
He said Zimbabwe had performed relatively well in food production but lagged behind in higher-value sectors such as mining inputs and industrial manufacturing.
“Mining is growing, but only 12% of the mining consumables are made in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Hwengwere also proposed introducing QR-coded local content labels to help combat counterfeit products and improve trust in Zimbabwean brands.
Research firm Topline Research Solutions said affordability and quality remained the main factors influencing buying decisions among consumers.
Its general manager, Patson Gasura, said findings from a nationwide survey of 1,610 households showed price remained the biggest concern for most shoppers.
“Price is the number one consideration by a significant 76% of Zimbabweans,” he said.
He added that product quality was also a major factor, with almost 70% of consumers saying standards strongly influenced their purchasing decisions.
