President Emmerson Mnangagwa will officially open the 29th edition of Mine Entra on Friday as Zimbabwe’s premier mining, engineering and transport exhibition records strong growth in exhibitor participation, exhibition space uptake and business visitor registrations.
Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Company chief executive officer Dr Nicholas Ndebele announced on Wednesday that President Mnangagwa will officiate as guest of honour at the official opening ceremony and Mine Entra Conference at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo.
“The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Dr E.D. Mnangagwa, will officiate as guest of honour during the official opening of Mine Entra Conference on Friday, 31 July. He will be accompanied by Vice President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga,” said Ndebele.
The three-day exhibition, which runs from July 29 to 31, is being held under the theme: “Unearth, Transform, Prosper: Anchoring Economic Transformation Through Mining Value Chains.”
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Organised in partnership with the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, the exhibition is intended to support the country’s push towards mineral beneficiation and value addition in line with Vision 2030.
“Mine Entra is more than just an annual exhibition. It serves as a strategic driver supporting national efforts towards mineral beneficiation, value addition and inclusive economic growth in alignment with Vision 2030,” Ndebele said.
He said this year’s theme reflects the Government’s emphasis on moving beyond the export of raw minerals by strengthening local value chains and increasing the value derived from Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.
“We have seen that Government has been quite intentional in emphasising beneficiation as well as value addition, and this is where we derive our theme,” he said.
Ndebele noted that mining contributes about 16% of Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product (GDP) and that the country has more than 60 commercially exploitable minerals, including gold, platinum, lithium, chrome, coal and rare earth elements. He said Mine Entra aims to strengthen local industrial linkages while promoting cleaner and more sustainable mining technologies.
This year’s exhibition has also recorded growth across several key indicators.
Exhibition space uptake has reached 98%, with 8 853 square metres booked against a target of 9 000 square metres, up from 7 368 square metres occupied last year.
A total of 276 direct exhibitors have registered, representing a 20% increase from the previous edition.
International participation has also expanded, with 33 exhibitors from Botswana, China, India, Mauritius, the Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, the United States and Zambia taking part, compared with 20 exhibitors from four countries in 2025.
Business visitor registrations have nearly doubled, with 6 453 delegates registered ahead of the exhibition compared with 3 355 during last year’s event. The delegates include mining executives, engineers, geologists, financiers, government officials and other industry stakeholders.
In addition to the exhibition, Mine Entra will host several networking events, including an exhibitors’ cocktail on Wednesday evening and the Mine Entra Charity Golf Challenge on August 1 at Bulawayo Golf Club.
Ndebele said the exhibition continues to strengthen its position as a key platform for promoting investment, innovation and collaboration across Zimbabwe’s mining value chain while supporting sustainable industrial development.
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