Bulawayo to be designated as a Special Economic Zone for steel

Bulawayo is poised for a major industrial resurgence following plans by the Government of Zimbabwe to designate the city as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for steel, in a move aligned with the country's broader economic transformation agenda.

The proposed steel-focused SEZ forms part of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and its successor, NDS2, which prioritise value addition, beneficiation and export-led growth. The initiative is also closely tied to the rising fortunes of the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco) plant in Manhize, near Mvuma.

Speaking at the Connect Africa Symposium held alongside the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Mthuli Ncube, said the declaration of the SEZ is imminent.

"We are going to declare a special economic zone for steel in Bulawayo soon. It is coming and it is because of the conversations we have been having around Bulawayo industries," he said.

The planned SEZ is designed to complement steel production in Manhize, creating an integrated value chain that links upstream raw material processing with downstream fabrication and manufacturing in Bulawayo. This approach aims to revitalise the city's once-thriving industrial base, which has suffered decades of decline.

Under the SEZ framework, companies operating within the zone are expected to benefit from targeted incentives, streamlined regulations and infrastructure support, measures intended to attract both local and foreign investment into steel processing and engineering sectors.

The initiative also reflects a broader government push to formalise and scale up economic activity, with increased focus on skills development, industrial clustering and partnerships between established firms and emerging enterprises.

Addressing the same symposium, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa described the Manhize project as a "proof of concept" capable of reshaping Zimbabwe's industrial future.

"Zimbabwe is now having a proof of concept that an inland African country can have a steel plant, which is world-class," he said.

Mutsvangwa highlighted the historical link between Bulawayo and the now-defunct Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) in Kwekwe, noting that the collapse of ZISCO contributed significantly to the city's industrial decline.

He pointed to the city's idle factories and existing infrastructure — including power supply, road networks and railway sidings — as assets that could be repurposed under the new SEZ framework.

With steel demand across Africa projected to grow rapidly due to infrastructure development and urbanisation, Zimbabwe is positioning itself to capture a share of the expanding market. If successfully implemented, the Bulawayo steel SEZ could mark a turning point in the city's economic fortunes and signal a broader industrial revival for the country.