Zimbabwe, Dangote Group sign energy and infrastructure agreement
HARARE — Zimbabwe and the Dangote Group have signed a global agreement focusing on energy, cement, fertilizers and infrastructure, Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications George Charamba said Wednesday.
“This afternoon Zimbabwe and the Dangote Group signed a global agreement focusing on areas of energy, cement, fertilizers and infrastructure where the group has expressed interest,” Charamba, writing under his Jamwanda X handle, said.
He said one of the key transnational projects under discussion is an oil refinery and subregional pipeline running from Walvis Bay in Namibia to Zimbabwe, covering more than 2,200 kilometres.
“The pipeline will land in Bulawayo but will reach Harare via Gweru. This new investment project is sure to change the production structure of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Charamba added that the Dangote Group recognises Zimbabwe’s strong agricultural base and sees fertilizer investment as a critical link to boost regional food security.
“In respect of fertilizers, the Dangote group appreciates that Zimbabwe is an accomplished Agricultural Economy and is slotted to play a key role in subregional food security, as already stated by WFP. The missing link has been investments in fertilizers which render Zimbabwe’s agricultural commodities uncompetitive when benchmarked against global prices,” he said.
The agreement marks Dangote’s first major multi-sector investment commitment in Zimbabwe since initial exploratory visits by company executives nearly a decade ago. At that time, plans to build a cement plant and invest in coal mining stalled amid bureaucratic delays and disputes over licensing approvals, triggering a diplomatic row and uncertainty over Zimbabwe’s investment climate.
The new deal signals a possible reset in relations between the government and Africa’s richest man, whose previous interest in Zimbabwe once ended in frustration.
