Smart cities drive real estate innovation push

STAFF WRITER

Zimbabwe’s transition toward tech-enabled urbanisation is placing the real estate sector at the centre of a new wave of innovation and investment.
The Smart Cities, Devolution and Property Development Master Class 2025, scheduled for July 6–9 at Troutbeck Resort in Nyanga, is set to chart a strategic path for digital transformation within the country’s built environment.
Organised by Global Renaissance Investments (GRI), the high-level gathering is expected to draw key players from the property, finance, and technology sectors, including executives from Seeff Properties, CBZ Holdings, and Integrated Properties.

Discussions will centre on smart housing models, sustainable building solutions, and data-led development strategies.
“We must shift from brick-and-mortar thinking to tech-and-mortar innovation,” said GRI chief executive Ngoni Dzirutwe. “The cities of tomorrow demand new ways of building, investing, and managing real estate — and that shift begins here.”
Traditionally marked by manual registries and opaque valuation processes, Zimbabwe’s real estate sector is undergoing structural change, with increasing adoption of digital land registries, blockchain-based deed systems, and AI-driven valuation models. These technologies are expected to lower transaction costs, improve transparency, and boost investor confidence — both local and offshore.
With over 60% of Zimbabwe’s population projected to live in cities by 2030, developers are under growing pressure to deliver smart, sustainable, and affordable housing solutions. The masterclass will explore opportunities for embedding IoT, renewable energy, and mixed-use urban zoning into property developments.
The event will also offer a rare platform for private sector stakeholders to interface with government officials from the Ministries of Housing, Local Government, and Energy. Key policy discussions will include regulatory reforms to facilitate digital property transactions, public–private partnerships in infrastructure, and targeted incentives for green technologies.
Of particular interest is CBZ Holdings’ participation, with the financial services group expected to announce new funding models to unlock access to smart mortgages and housing finance.
“Real estate must become responsive to how people live, work, and move,” added Dzirutwe. “This means rethinking design through a tech and sustainability lens.”
As Zimbabwe’s property market evolves, emerging revenue streams — including smart rental platforms, urban data services, and e-permit systems — are reshaping the investment landscape. The masterclass will feature case studies from African cities such as Kigali and Nairobi, where digital building permits and smart zoning frameworks have attracted FDI and curbed urban sprawl.
“The future of real estate is not just about vertical buildings — it’s about vertical integration of data, design, and demand,” Dzirutwe said.

“This is where Zimbabwe’s property sector will learn how to scale — and scale smart.”