🇿🇼Zimbabwe
Platinum, lithium, gold, chrome, diamonds and some of Africa's best farmland. Zimbabwe is opening its mining and agriculture sectors to Gulf investors under a policy of engagement.
Economic overview
Zimbabwe is a country of 16 million people with an exceptional subsoil: the world's second-largest platinum reserves after South Africa, Africa's largest lithium deposits, gold, chrome, nickel, diamonds and coal. Its population is one of the most educated on the continent, a legacy of a solid school system.
After two decades of economic crisis and hyperinflation, the country launched an opening policy summed up by the slogan Zimbabwe is open for business: revised indigenisation laws, special economic zones, a new gold-backed currency and partnerships with Gulf countries. The UAE has become one of the country's leading trading partners and investors, notably in gold, lithium, agriculture and energy.
Agriculture, historically the region's breadbasket, is restarting with tobacco, maize, horticulture and citrus. Victoria Falls, shared with Zambia, offers a global tourist destination. Zimbabwe remains a demanding market, but its assets are among the most sought after in Africa.
Why invest in Zimbabwe
Lithium
Africa's largest lithium producer, with industrial projects in production and a local processing policy.
Platinum and gold
The world's second-largest platinum reserves, steadily rising gold production, large flows to Dubai.
Agriculture
Tobacco, maize, horticulture, citrus, livestock: land and climate among the best in Southern Africa.
A skilled workforce
An educated, English-speaking population with trained engineers, agronomists and professionals.
Strategic sectors
Lithium, platinum, gold, chrome
Mining, local processing of lithium and platinum, gold trading.
Tobacco, horticulture, citrus
Commercial farms and export to the Gulf and Asia.
Solar, hydro, coal
Independent producers to offset a chronic power deficit.
Victoria Falls, parks
Lodges, hotels and tourism infrastructure.
Harare, Bulawayo
Housing and commercial property.
Agri-food, materials
Local processing and import substitution.
Opportunities for UAE investors
The UAE is among Zimbabwe's most active partners.
- Lithium and platinum
Equity in mining projects and processing units.
- Gold to Dubai
Licensed trading through official channels.
- Horticulture
Farms and export of fruit and vegetables to the Gulf.
- Solar
Plants for mines, industry and the grid.
- Tourism
Hospitality at Victoria Falls.
Risks and how we manage them
The monetary system has been unstable. We structure in dollars and secure flows.
Some entities remain under sanctions. We systematically vet counterparties.
The history of farm expropriations calls for special caution. We secure titles and favour leases.
Outages are frequent. Every project includes its own solar generation.
Legal framework and ties with the UAE
Investing in Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA): one-stop shop.
- Special Economic Zones with exemptions.
- Mines and Minerals Act.
- Bilateral investment agreement with the UAE.
- Recognised arbitration.
The Dubai connection
- Direct Harare–Dubai flights.
- Very close Zimbabwe–UAE relations.
- Dubai as the leading destination for Zimbabwean gold.
- UAE investment in mining and agriculture.
Dubai as your operating base
For a UAE investor, Zimbabwe is best worked from Dubai. The city offers the tools that are often missing on the ground: a Free Zone holding company to carry the stake, banks used to African flows, a recognised international arbitration framework, tax treaties and investment protection agreements, and regular flights to the continent. For an entrepreneur or institution from Zimbabwe, Dubai is symmetrically the gateway to Gulf capital, commodity buyers and Asian industrial partners. ABC Consultancy sits in the middle of that bridge: we know both shores and we speak to both.
How ABC Consultancy supports you
A confidential 45-minute call to understand your objectives, ticket size, horizon and risk appetite. We tell you whether the project makes sense before going any further.
A written note that sets the perimeter: sector, deal format, partners to target, timeline, study budget and deliverables. It serves as the engagement contract.
Identification of partners, assets and institutional counterparts on the ground. Every counterparty is checked: titles, management, track record, reputation, ongoing disputes.
Meetings with authorities, partners and sites. We prepare, accompany and translate every exchange, then produce a decision-ready report.
Legal and financial set-up between Dubai and the country with our partner lawyers and auditors: holding, joint venture, shareholder agreement, commercial contracts, full due diligence.
Governance, reporting, relations with the authorities, renewal of approvals. We remain your trusted contact for as long as the transaction lives.
Who we work with
UAE funds and family offices
You want exposure to Zimbabwe with a reliable local partner and a Dubai holding structure. We source, vet and structure.
Industrial groups and traders
You need to secure a supply chain, a plant or a commercial outlet in Zimbabwe. We organise the mission, the approvals and the contracts.
Local institutions and companies
You represent a ministry, an agency or a company from Zimbabwe and are looking for capital and partners in the Gulf. We prepare your file and open the doors.
Frequently asked questions
Can I own farmland?
Farmland belongs to the state and is granted under 99-year leases. We secure leases and partnerships with local operators.
Is the country safe to invest in?
The risk is real but manageable with vetted partners, dollar structuring and sectors such as lithium, platinum and gold where global demand is strong.
What is the minimum ticket to invest in Zimbabwe with ABC Consultancy?
There is no fixed threshold: it depends on the sector and the format. An equity stake in a mining project runs into millions of dollars, whereas a trading or real estate operation can start much lower. In the first conversation we tell you honestly whether your budget allows a serious transaction.
How long does a transaction take?
Expect three to six months between the scoping note and signature for a trading or real estate operation, and nine to eighteen months for a agriculture project requiring approvals, in-depth due diligence and structured financing.
How is ABC Consultancy paid?
Through engagement fees set in the scoping note, possibly completed by a success fee at signing. We never take hidden remuneration from a counterparty: our only loyalty is to you.
Do I need a Dubai company to invest in Zimbabwe?
It is not mandatory, but it is often the best solution: a Free Zone holding carries the stake, benefits from tax treaties and protection agreements, and repatriates dividends within a clear framework. We set it up with you.
A project in Zimbabwe ?
Describe it in a few lines. We get back to you within 48 hours for a first confidential conversation.
Or directly: WhatsApp +971 545 995 343 · contact@africabusiness.club