CBZ seeks international capital
LIVINGSTONE MARUFU
Publicly traded financial services group CBZ Holdings Limited is actively pursuing cheaper international capital, engaging global investors to finance development projects, expand infrastructure, and access critical technical expertise.
Group chief executive officer Lawrence Nyazema told Business Times that CBZ held extensive engagements with a wide range of stakeholders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, from January 19 to January 23, 2026, as it explored pathways to affordable funding amid shifting global markets, heightened geopolitical uncertainty, and rapid technological change.
“Davos gives us a direct platform to engage global capital, development partners, and policymakers. For CBZ Group, it is about positioning Zimbabwe as investable, bankable, and open for sustainable growth,” Nyazema said.
“Our presence was deliberate. We are there to amplify Zimbabwe’s growth story, particularly in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and financial inclusion. As a local institution with regional reach, we help bridge global capital with local opportunity,” he added.
Nyazema said Davos offered CBZ an opportunity to move beyond dialogue into tangible outcomes that support development back home.
“Davos allows us to hold targeted engagements that translate into partnerships, funding conversations, and risk-sharing structures that support real projects back home. Global investors are looking for local partners. CBZ understands the market and the regulatory environment. That makes us a natural gateway for institutions looking to deploy capital into Zimbabwe and the region,” he said.
He revealed that the group had secured long-term arrangements during the engagements, which he believes will strengthen both the lender and the broader economy.
“Success is measured after Davos. It is in the deals structured, the partnerships formed, and the projects funded. That is where the real value lies for CBZ Group and for Zimbabwe,” Nyazema stated.
“Partnerships that align domestic capital with international financing will be critical to turning this momentum into measurable impact.”
During the WEF meeting, Nyazema participated in a high-impact panel discussion at Africa House, held under the theme “For Africa, by Africa: Rethinking Financing Models Adapted to African Needs & Realities.”
The session brought together leaders shaping the continent’s next financial architecture, examining how self-reliant and adaptive financing frameworks can mobilise smart, inclusive capital to scale Africa’s productive sectors. Key focus areas included affordable housing, transport, agriculture, and intra-African trade as engines of resilience and sustainable growth.
Discussions also centred on unlocking domestic sources of long-term capital, particularly through more effective deployment of pension and institutional funds, as well as the importance of structuring African balance sheets to crowd in international credit lines and global capital on more competitive terms.
