Zimbabwe offers Dangote growth

The Nigerian billionaire, Aliko Dangote, head of the Dangote Group, visited Zimbabwe this week and struck investment deals in mining, cement manufacturing and power generation. Dangote separately met President Robert Mugabe and his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as well as mining, transport and local government ministers.

He was particularly forthcoming about the cement manufacturing plant, telling journalists after meeting Mr Mnangagwa, that he was looking to set-up "an integrated cement plant here that will be bigger than all the plants that we have (and)… that can translate into 1.5Mta.”

Mr Dangote highlighted that while he was ready to start his investments in Zimbabwe, the ball was in the government's court to kickstart the construction of the cement plant. "We will move in very fast (but) it all depends on the government," he said. Media reports suggest Mugabe's cabinet has approved Dangote's investments.

He also made time to meet business executives to get deeper appreciation of the operating framework from people on the ground.