Commerce Ministry Reviews Progress on Industrial Growth Targets

Minister of Industry and Commerce Hon. N. M. Ndlovu officially opened the 2025 Mid-Year Strategic Plan Review Workshop in Kadoma, calling for renewed urgency, accountability, and strategic foresight as Zimbabwe moves into the final phase of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

Addressing delegates at the Rainbow Hotel in Kadoma, Minister Ndlovu described the workshop as a critical opportunity to reflect on progress, recalibrate efforts, and recommit to Zimbabwe’s industrial and commercial transformation agenda.

“This workshop arrives at a defining juncture,” he said. “As we draw closer to the completion of NDS1 and the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan (ZIRGP), we must also lay the foundation for NDS2 and the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (ZNIDP 2).”

The Minister emphasized that the review must go beyond administrative formalities, urging participants to focus on revitalizing the manufacturing sector, enhancing local content, expanding commercial activity, and driving rural industrialization.

Minister Ndlovu challenged ministry officials and stakeholders to assess achievements critically, embrace shortcomings with humility, and extract lessons that can improve execution.

“Our strategic plan must meet three non-negotiable criteria,”  Minister Ndlovu said. “It must be actionable, measurable, and accountable.”

He called for “anticipatory governance” within the Ministry, stressing the need for proactive and adaptive leadership in a fast-changing global economic environment. “We must be relentless in implementation,” Minister Ndlovu added.

The workshop brought together top ministry officials, heads of state-owned enterprises, parastatals, and facilitators from the Public Service Academy. The Minister acknowledged the vital role of stakeholders in shaping national policy and industrial strategy.

“Your insights are the vessel in which we will forge better policies,” Minister Ndlovu told attendees. “As sector leaders, your perspectives will directly influence Zimbabwe’s industrial trajectory.”

The Minister expressed appreciation for the Public Service Academy’s role in facilitating the review, saying its expertise would sharpen the Ministry’s priorities and improve performance frameworks.

Concluding his address, Minister Ndlovu officially declared the Strategic Plan Review Workshop open, urging all participants to contribute meaningfully.

“This is not merely an administrative exercise,” Minister Ndlovu . “It is our opportunity to catapult the Ministry into the top tier of government performance, where we rightfully belong.”

The workshop ran from July 24–25, 2025, and is expected to produce a refined action plan aligned with the country’s broader economic development goals.

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