MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU—Midlands recorded more than US$108 million in investment by the second quarter of 2026 as the province steps up efforts to process its mineral and agricultural resources locally.
Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube made the remarks at the 2026 Midlands Show Society Business Conference in Gweru, held under the theme, “Value Addition, the Key to Competitiveness.”
The investments include cement and fertiliser production, mineral processing and captive solar and thermal power, reflecting efforts to deepen industrial activity around the province’s resource base.
“Value addition is therefore not merely an economic strategy, as it is a pathway towards economic transformation,” Ncube said.
Mining companies, including Dinson and lithium producers Zheli Lithium and Sandawana Mines, have invested in processing projects in Chirumanzu, Zvishavane and Mberengwa.
The expansion of energy intensive industries, particularly ferrochrome processing, has also driven investment in captive power generation to address electricity supply challenges.
Ncube said investment in cement and fertiliser production could strengthen domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imports.
He called for value addition to extend beyond mining into agriculture, manufacturing and services, with stronger links between sectors needed to diversify the provincial economy.
“The growth of the Midlands Provincial economy is our collective responsibility,” Ncube told business leaders, industrialists, traders and potential investors attending the conference.
He urged the private sector to use the gathering to form partnerships and develop practical ways of processing mineral and agricultural resources locally.
