Zimbabwe's Wealth Lies in its Youth, Says Finance ...

Zimbabwe's Wealth Lies in its Youth, Says Finance Minister

Rutendo Mazhindu - ZimNow Reporter

Skills Audit and Development Minister Paul Mavima has called for urgent investment in skills development and entrepreneurship as the cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s economic transformation, saying the country's wealth lies not in its minerals but in its people.

Speaking at the Money and Wealth Summit in Harare, Mavima said Zimbabwe must prioritise building human capital to achieve sustainable prosperity.

“Our most valuable national asset is not buried beneath the ground it walks amongst us. It is our human capital. It is our youth,” Mavima said.

He said the government had adopted a skills first development approach, guided by the mantra: "Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo , Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo."

“The journey from potential to prosperity begins with vibrant skills development. Not just degrees, but real, market-relevant, adaptable skills,” said Mavima.

“When our people are skilled, they work smarter. They innovate. They solve problems. They lead.”

Mavima noted that no country had prospered without investing in its people, citing examples such as Singapore, South Korea, and Rwanda, which turned skills development into engines of global competitiveness.

He urged Zimbabweans, especially the youth, to embrace trades, start businesses, and build technologies rather than look abroad for opportunities.

“Let us stop exporting raw materials and instead export finished products proudly stamped ‘Made in Zimbabwe’. The time is now,” he said.

He further revealed that government had undertaken a national Skills Audit and Development programme to align education and training with market demands.

“We have mapped skills gaps, identified priority sectors, engaged stakeholders and begun the process of spearheading the alignment of our education and training systems to labour market and entrepreneurship needs,” said the minister.

Mavima said incentives must be created for industries that absorb young talent and ease bureaucratic processes for youth-led enterprises.

“Competitiveness is no longer optional it is essential,” he said. “We must invest not only in quantity but in the quality of skills, from climate smart agriculture to coding, from digital marketing to precision engineering.”

He said "You are more than a demographic dividend, you are a force to reckon upon… You are the catalysts for our future wealth.”