Minister Calls for Action on Rural Industrialization

29 April 2025

By Nokusa Masuku

The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Mangaliso Ndlovu, has highlighted the critical role of rural industrialization in fostering economic growth and overall development in Zimbabwe.

Minister Ndlovu highlighted that rural provinces’ contribution to GDP has consistently declined over the past three years, while metropolitan provinces have seen an increase.

The Minister called on local authorities to take a more proactive role in promoting rural industrialization, including creating a conducive investment climate and incentivizing the private sector to invest in their areas given that the bulk of the population resides in rural areas.

Minister Ndlovu reminded that a 2019 policy announced by the Minister of Finance allows anyone setting up a factory in a rural setup to automatically qualify as a special economic zone.

However, he noted that no applications have been received to benefit from this policy.