Zimbabwean tech billionaire Strive Masiyiwa is backing a 300-hectare industrial park near Harare’s international airport, anchored by a 100MW solar plant and data centre, in a move aimed at accelerating investment, exports and job creation.
Masiyiwa is once again placing a huge bet on infrastructure-led development with the plans that could reshape the Southern African country’s industrial and digital landscape while reinforcing his wider pan-African vision.
Through Econet InfraCo, the 300-hectare industrial park project is designed to attract manufacturers, exporters and technology-driven businesses by bundling power, connectivity and logistics in one location. At the heart of the development will be a 100-megawatt solar power plant and a large-scale data centre.
Econet Group chief executive Dr Douglas Mboweni believes the ambitious project would solve two of Zimbabwe’s biggest investor pain points of unreliable energy and limited digital infrastructure.
“Our vision is to create the infrastructure, such as power and water facilities, needed for a modern industrial park. This will make it easier for investors to come in, take advantage of the location, and create jobs,” he said.
Mboweni further revealed that the airport-adjacent site would function as a logistics and industrial hub, particularly for firms that rely on fast cargo movement for exports.
Econet InfraCo will provide core services such as electricity, water and connectivity, allowing tenants to focus on production rather than building basic infrastructure from scratch.
Work on the first phase has already begun, with the solar plant set to be rolled out in stages based on demand, although full development remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Once complete, the project is expected to rank among Zimbabwe’s largest private-sector developments since independence, aligning with government ambitions to revive industrialisation and boost exports.
Econet has already announced plans to eventually list InfraCo on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange, a move aimed at unlocking value from its infrastructure assets and attracting long-term capital.
The industrial park adds to Masiyiwa’s growing portfolio of Africa-focused development initiatives.
Through Cassava Technologies, he oversees Liquid Intelligent Technologies, one of the continent’s largest fibre and data centre operators, powering digital economies from Cape Town to Cairo.
Cassava is also expanding AI-ready data centres and cloud services, positioning Africa to participate more meaningfully in the global digital economy.
Beyond telecoms and data, Masiyiwa has been a driving force behind renewable energy investments, fintech platforms under the Econet brand, and health and education initiatives through the Higherlife Foundation.
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