Zimbabwe’s Cabinet has formally approved a joint venture between the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Enterprises and China’s Shanghai Jingdao Electric Co., Ltd. for the establishment of a local manufacturing and assembly plant that will produce power infrastructure equipment including switchgears, smart meters, and electric vehicle (EV) charging units.
The decision was announced by Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Jenfan Muswere during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday. The minister explained that the initiative forms part of Zimbabwe’s broader industrialisation and energy modernisation agenda, seeking to align domestic energy production and management with contemporary global standards while addressing national energy challenges.
The partnership, structured as a public-private venture, aims to enhance Zimbabwe’s capacity to produce advanced electrical equipment domestically, reducing reliance on imports and supporting the national objective of achieving energy sovereignty. By manufacturing switchgears locally, Zimbabwe is expected to strengthen the stability and resilience of its power grid, which is undergoing expansion to meet the needs of industrial growth and rising urban demand.
Muswere stated that the joint venture would not only serve domestic energy infrastructure needs but would also position Zimbabwe as a regional supplier of power distribution equipment within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). “The country faces a growing need for modern switchgears as the national grid expands and old equipment is phased out,” he said. “This partnership will position Zimbabwe as a switchgear supplier in the region.”
The introduction of locally produced smart meters is anticipated to improve operational efficiency within ZESA by ensuring accurate energy usage measurement, reducing losses, and strengthening revenue collection systems. The inclusion of EV charger production in the project highlights Zimbabwe’s recognition of the accelerating shift towards sustainable transport technologies across Africa.
The collaboration is expected to yield multiple benefits, including technology transfer, skills development, job creation, and foreign currency savings. It will also contribute to import substitution and stimulate downstream industries, thereby embedding industrial capacity within Zimbabwe’s economy.
Energy sector analysts suggest that the partnership reflects a pragmatic approach by both parties. For Zimbabwe, it represents a step towards self-reliance and industrial diversification, while for China, it continues a pattern of infrastructure-based cooperation on the continent that emphasises technology partnership and local production rather than extractive engagement.
In the broader African context, the initiative aligns with the continent’s growing pursuit of localised energy solutions and sustainable industrialisation. Many African nations are prioritising renewable energy integration and modernisation of their grid systems, recognising that energy security underpins broader economic transformation.
The joint venture underscores a continental shift towards partnership models that encourage shared expertise and long-term institutional capacity building rather than short-term infrastructure contracts. Zimbabwe’s government has positioned this collaboration as one that redefines how African economies engage with external partners through projects that prioritise mutual benefit and domestic value addition.
The project also speaks to a renewed commitment to industrial cooperation among Global South partners. It illustrates an evolving framework of collaboration in which African countries negotiate from positions of strategic intent, seeking partnerships that reinforce technological inclusivity, regional integration, and economic sovereignty.
As Zimbabwe continues to address structural constraints within its energy sector, such ventures may mark the beginning of a more grounded and collaborative phase in African industrial policy — one that places African agency and innovation at the core of development.
