By Ndumiso Tshuma
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has urged the private sector to play a more proactive role in strengthening the country’s innovation ecosystem by forging closer ties with academic and research institutions.
Speaking at the 2025 International Business Conference held on Wednesday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Chiwenga stressed that it is the responsibility of industry particularly the manufacturing sector to initiate engagement with universities and researchers.
“It is not academia that must go to industry actually, it is vice versa,” he said. “Industry must approach institutions of higher learning and say: ‘We are producing 10 pieces of equipment, we want to scale up to 100 can you provide a solution?’ Then fund those researchers, because as the private sector, you are the ultimate beneficiaries.”
The conference, held under the theme “Revitalising Industrialisation for Zimbabwe’s Economic Resurgence,” brought together key stakeholders from the business, academic, and policy spheres.
Chiwenga also highlighted the untapped potential among Zimbabwean youth, particularly those in academia, noting that young researchers cannot tailor solutions for industry without clear communication.
“The researchers, those young boys and girls who have been gifted, cannot guess what you need,” he said. “But if you tell them, they will apply themselves and deliver solutions. If we want to increase productivity, we must follow that route.”
Also addressing the conference, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube echoed the Vice President’s call for collaboration, stressing the need for joint efforts to boost industrial productivity.
“As we engage with regional and international partners, we must explore ways to revitalise technology and adopt sustainable practices to meet growth targets and global demands,” she said.
Ncube emphasised that unity among all stakeholders, including government, civil society, and the private sector, is essential to overcoming key barriers to growth.
“It is a call to action,” she said, “to come together and create an environment conducive to sustainable development while addressing critical challenges such as access to finance, infrastructure deficits, and broader development issues.”