Energy Efficiency: A Competitive Advantage for Zimbabwean Industry

Reducing energy costs is one of the fastest ways manufacturers can improve productivity, profitability and long-term competitiveness.

Zimbabwe's manufacturers are becoming more optimistic about the future, with 63.1% expecting improved sector performance in 2026. Yet the CZI Annual Manufacturing Sector Survey 2025 also found that high production and operating costs remain the single biggest constraint to export competitiveness, limiting the sector's ability to compete in regional and international markets. Improving energy efficiency presents one of the most immediate opportunities to reduce these costs while strengthening productivity.

Recognising this opportunity, CZI is implementing the Energy Efficiency for Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) Programme in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, with funding from Sida and implementation by UNIDO. During the second quarter, 156 professionals completed Energy Management Systems (EnMS) training in Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare, equipping manufacturers to implement the internationally recognised ISO 50001 framework for managing and improving energy performance.

The Manufacturing Sector Survey also found that 58% of manufacturers have already begun integrating sustainability into their operations, demonstrating that businesses increasingly recognise sustainability and competitiveness as complementary objectives. Research by the International Energy Agency shows that structured energy management programmes can reduce energy costs by more than 10% within three years, while UNIDO identifies industrial energy efficiency as one of the most cost-effective ways for developing economies to improve competitiveness. By helping manufacturers reduce costs, strengthen operational performance and prepare for increasingly sustainability-conscious markets, CZI is supporting industry to compete more effectively both at home and abroad.