Midlands private sector hails Minister Ncube after record US$108m investment surge
By Staff Writer
GWERU: The private sector in Midlands province has hailed Minister Owen Ncube after the province emerged as the epicenter of Zimbabwe’s industrial transformation, securing a staggering US$108 million in new investments during the second quarter of 2026.
The capital injection, targeting the cement, fertilizer, and energy sectors, marks a decisive shift towards value addition and domestic production.
The development has since catapulted the private sector into hailing
Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon Owen Ncube for the remarkable feat.
The landmark successes are attributed to the Second Republic’s efforts on engagement and re-engagement as well as devolution policies championed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Speaking at a high-level business conference in Gweru, Minister Ncube revealed that the US$108 million windfall is a direct result of President Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” mantra.
He emphasized that the Province is no longer content with being a source of raw materials, but is rapidly evolving into a manufacturing hub.
“The Midlands investment surge comes as the Second Republic pushes to modernize and industrialize the economy,” Minister Ncube stated.
“We are turning mineral wealth into factories, jobs, and power.”
The Province received US$108 million by the second quarter of 2026, invested in cement and fertilizer production and the generation of captive solar and thermal power for high-energy industrial consumers.”
The Minister noted that the province has successfully responded to the Government’s ban on raw lithium exports, with massive investments flowing into processing plants in Chirumanzu, Zvishavane, and Mberengwa. He cited the DINSON Iron and Steel Company in Manhize and lithium leaders such as Zheli Lithium and Sandawana Mines as pivotal to this growth.
Adding weight to the economic milestone, RiverValley Group CEO Amb Prof. Smelly Dube lauded the synergy between Government policy and private sector resilience.
A key player in the Province’s real estate, mining and infrastructure development sectors, Prof. Dube noted that the industrial boom is creating a “multiplier effect” that benefits local businesses and communities.
“The visionary leadership of the Second Republic under His Excellency President E.D Mnangagwa has created an environment where local investors feel empowered to partner with global capital,” stressed Prof. Dube on the sidelines of the conference.
“At River Valley, we see this US$108 million injection as a vote of confidence in the Midlands. We are ready to provide the necessary infrastructure and support services to ensure these industrial giants thrive, creating a prosperous upper-middle-income society well before 2030.”
Prof. Smelly Dube further emphasized that the focus on “captive power” (solar and thermal) would insulate the manufacturing sector from energy deficits, ensuring that the Province’s ferrochrome and steel plants operate at peak capacity.
The investment influx aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), focusing on inclusive economic growth and structural transformation. Instead of shipping raw ore, the Midlands is now positioned to export battery-grade lithium and refined steel inputs.
“The Midlands Province is a proud beneficiary of the Second Republic’s socio-economic transformational agenda,” Ncube concluded. “We are seeing investments across all districts, anchored on moving the economy up the value chains.”
With major projects now breaking ground, the province is set to lead Zimbabwe’s charge toward the Vision 2030 targets, driven by a combination of state-led devolution and private sector leadership from figures like Prof Dube.
