THE stable economic environment anchored by the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) has significantly enhanced long-term planning, savings and investment conditions for local industries, a senior corporate executive said.
Speaking in an interview at the company’s Southerton plant yesterday ahead of the premier Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE 2026), Delta Corporation finance director Mr Alex Makamure noted that the stability brought about by the domestic currency since its introduction in April 2024 has cleared major operational hurdles that previously constrained local enterprises.
The interview was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in partnership with the Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) think tank and national trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, as part of the build-up to the high-level industrial expo scheduled for July 23–24 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
Mr Alex Makamure
Mr Makamure said prior volatility in exchange rates and persistent currency fluctuations had historically made it difficult for domestic businesses to accurately forecast and invest. However, the subsequent policy interventions have drastically altered the corporate landscape.
“We can look at opportunities largely because the issues around what have been the challenges, which are your exchange rate and your currency issues, seem to be largely stable since the ZiG came in (April) 2024,” Mr Makamure said.
He noted that local currency predictability is the cornerstone for any corporate recovery, expansion, or balance sheet defence in the manufacturing sector. “So that would be one of the bigger issues that tends to affect Zimbabwean businesses, for them to be able to plan and to save and then to be able to invest and make sure that you make the recoveries.
ZimTrade
“So from our perspective, we are looking more towards realising the opportunities,” he added.
Introduced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in April 2024, the ZiG is a structured currency backed by a combination of foreign exchange and physical gold reserves. Despite facing initial parallel market pressures and a significant central bank devaluation in late 2024, the currency has largely stabilised in 2026, bringing down annual local currency inflation to single-digit levels.
The positive sentiments from Delta, the country’s largest beverages maker, provide a progressive tone for the upcoming ZICE 2026 conference.
The expo, running under the banner of the Second Republic’s industrialisation drive and Vision 2030, is designed to bring together policymakers, corporate executives, and regional investors to deliberate on accelerating value addition, modernising industrial infrastructure, and strengthening private sector participation in the broader economy.
“In that respect, we want to be a participant to show that we can be able to make a difference in the economy,” said Mr Makamure.
Mr Makamure said strong business growth has paved the way for multiple major investments. However, the lager beer sector is currently facing supply gaps, as the capacity expanded just two and a half years ago is already stretched to its limit. In response, the company is committing US$35 million to overhaul the brewery and add a new packaging line.
“These are very significant investments, which show our commitment to this country,” said Mr Makamure.
ZICE 2026 has been structured as an action-oriented platform designed to unlock investment, drive policy reform, and accelerate national economic transformation.
Moving away from traditional talk shops, the premier event will bring together government officials, private sector executives, international financiers, and academic institutions to secure definitive, multi-sectoral investment deals.
The high-level convention will focus heavily on value addition and export competitiveness across manufacturing, agro-processing, and mineral beneficiation.
By hosting structured business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking forums and showcasing commercialisable university innovations, ZICE 2026 aims to build resilient local supply chains.
Organisers emphasise that these initiatives are strategically aligned with regional trade frameworks — including the AfCFTA, SADC and COMESA —to position Zimbabwean industry competitively within global markets.-herald
