Zim courts global financiers, partners to power mining, energy revolution
STAFF WRITER
Energy and Power Development Minister, July Moyo, has issued a bold call for global financiers and strategic partners to back Zimbabwe’s ambitious energy and mining transformation.
Minister Moyo told global investors at the Africa Down Under Mining Conference in Perth, Australia on Friday, that “we are not just seeking financiers, we are inviting partners who will bring capital, technology, and expertise to co-create the energy and mining ecosystem of the future.”
Moyo said Zimbabwe’s mining renaissance, anchored on lithium, platinum, gold, and rare earths, has redefined the nexus between mining and energy, creating unprecedented opportunities for investors to plug into projects ranging from solar parks and floating solar on Kariba to captive power plants at mines and cross-border energy corridors under the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
He underscored that mining, which now accounts for over 60% of Zimbabwe’s export earnings, has also become the largest energy consumer, requiring an additional 2,000 MW by 2025. This, he said, has transformed mining from being merely a consumer into a co-developer of energy infrastructure.
At the policy level, Zimbabwe’s National Energy Compact sets a target of 5,432 MW generation capacity by 2030, with US$9bn in investment required – 70% expected from private players. Key reforms include cost-reflective tariffs, streamlined approvals, and bankable Project Support Agreements designed to de-risk projects.
“Zimbabwe is indeed open for business. Our mining boom is an energy opportunity, and our energy transformation is an investment gateway. We invite you (global investors) to come and invest and build power plants next to mines, establish beneficiation hubs next to mineral deposits, and create regional energy corridors that power the future of African industry,” Moyo declared.
He emphasized that the invitation was not limited to financiers but extended to long-term partners who can integrate renewable energy solutions with mining, create industrial parks, and help Zimbabwe position itself as a green energy hub for Southern Africa.
“With lithium reserves among the largest in Africa, green hydrogen potential, and a clear roadmap to double generation capacity, we are ready to power not only our mines but also the industries of Southern Africa,” Moyo told delegates.
“The opportunity is now. Together, let us light up Zimbabwe, power Southern Africa, and fuel the world’s clean energy revolution.”
