Zimbabwe’s Industrialisation: Progress Made, But Export Diversification Remains a Challenge.
Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector is showing encouraging signs of growth, according to the African Development Bank’s 2025 Africa Industrialisation Index. Manufacturing’s contribution to GDP increased from 9.2% in 2010 to 15.5% in 2024, while manufacturing value added per person rose nearly fivefold from US$83 to US$399.60 over the same period. The sector also recorded an impressive average annual growth rate of 13.6%, ranking among the strongest performers in Southern Africa.
However, significant challenges remain. Zimbabwe’s manufactured exports are heavily concentrated in basic metals, which account for 92.2% of total manufactured exports, the highest concentration in Southern Africa. Other manufacturing segments such as food processing, textiles, chemicals and machinery each contribute less than 2% of exports. In addition, manufacturing employment declined slightly from 5.2% of total employment in 2010 to 4.7% in 2024.
The findings suggest that while Zimbabwe has made substantial strides in industrial growth and value addition, the next phase of industrialisation will require greater export diversification, expansion into higher-value manufacturing sectors, and stronger job creation to build a more resilient and inclusive economy.