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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been confirmed to speak at this year’s edition of the African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies conference. Taking place September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town, the event represents the premier dealmaking platform for the African energy sector. President Mnangagwa’s participation reflects the country’s ambition to unlock the full potential of its energy sector and comes as international and regional companies advance projects in natural gas and renewable energy.
As a frontier oil and gas market, Zimbabwe offers significant opportunities for exploration firms seeking forays into southern Africa’s energy landscape. While the country does not currently produce oil and gas, efforts are being made to position the country as an onshore gas producer. Notably, exploration and production company Invictus Energy continues to advance the development of the Cabora Bassa Project – situated in northern Zimbabwe and representing one of the world’s largest untested frontier rift basins. The company made a significant gas discovery at the Mukuyu field in 2023, with a second discovery made at the Mukuyu-2 well in 2024. As the country works towards field development, President Mnangagwa’s participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 is expected to facilitate new deals across Zimbabwe’s emerging gas market.
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
On the back of its exploration success, Zimbabwe is now seeking to fast-track field development and bring the Cabora Bassa Project into production. The government is currently finalizing the Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement (PPSA) with Invictus Energy, with a draft PPSA shared with the company in June 2025. The Zimbabwean government has also moved to provide National Project Status (NPS) to the Cabora Bassa Project, reflecting its commitment to the success of this endeavor. With NPS, the project will benefit from a suite of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, including duty exemptions, fast-tracked permitting and streamlined access to key infrastructure and services.
The NPS is also expected to support future exploration at the project, including the Musuma-1 exploration well, which is expected to be drilled in H2, 2025. The well is expected to provide a broader scope of the project and represents the first high-impact well to be drilled in the country outside of the Mukuyu discovery area. The well targets a new play type in the basin and, if successful, could unlock a substantial new resource base in addition to the already-proven Mukuyu field. These activities underscore both Invictus’ commitment to Zimbabwean gas development as well as the country’s drive to unlock the full potential of its energy resources.
Beyond natural gas exploration, Zimbabwe continues to make advancements in regional fuel distribution and power infrastructure. In April 2025, Companhia do Pipeline Moçambique-Zimbabwe announced plans to expand the capacity of the Beira corridor pipeline – connecting Beira in Mozambique to Zimbabwe. The company plans to increase capacity from the current three million cubic meters per annum to five million by 2027, underscoring the value of cross-border infrastructure in supporting regional fuel trade. As Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community from August 2024 to August 2025, President Mnangagwa promoted the role regional collaboration in energy and infrastructure plays in Africa.
Meanwhile, as a major coal and hydroelectric producer, Zimbabwe has been making strides towards boosting generating capacity and attracting fresh investment across the sector. Coal production is on track to rise 10.5% in 2025, reaching 6.3 million tons throughout the year. In collaboration with neighboring Zambia, the country also plans to restart several coal-fired plants, seeking to address power challenges and boost supply. In the hydropower sector, the country generates the majority of its capacity from the Kariba hydroelectric plant, but new projects across the nation are expected to bolster production even further. These include the Lake Mutirikwi plant, the Batoka Gorge plant, the Osborne Dam Mini-Hydro project, among others. Despite this progress, significant investment gaps remain, highlighting a strategic opportunity for investors and project developers across the entire energy value chain.
“Zimbabwe is a prime example of a frontier energy market with significant potential. Projects across the natural gas, coal and hydropower spaces showcase the level of opportunity that is available across the market, and investors should seize the opportunity to join this promising industry. At a time when African energy demand continues to grow, frontier markets such as Zimbabwe will play an instrumental part in the next era of development,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.