Story by Bruce Chahwanda, Political Editor
MORE than 550 exhibitors have already secured space for the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair 2026, with organisers reporting strong uptake from both local and international participants as preparations gather pace.
Speaking at the ZITF 2026 diplomats engagement meeting in Harare on Tuesday, ZITF Chairman and industrialist Dr Busisa Moyo said between 20 and 30 percent of exhibitors are expected to come from outside Zimbabwe, signalling growing international interest in the country’s premier trade showcase.
“We have over 550 exhibitors already that have taken up space at this stage. A large chunk of the 20-30% will be foreign and we are looking for more,” he said.
He noted that bookings remain fluid, with some exhibitors adopting a wait-and-see approach before committing. “Calls are coming in, some people do wait to see who is there before they start moving and saying we are going to take up space, but so far so good,” he added.
Dr Moyo described the current state of preparedness as satisfactory, highlighting a surge in demand that has forced organisers to expand exhibition capacity.
“We are seeing quite a large turnout and space is limited… we’ve had to put up extra pavilions, additional pavilions, so that’s a good sign in terms of space uptake and quality of exhibition as well,” he said.
He added that exhibitors are increasingly demanding larger and more flexible spaces, prompting organisers to rethink layout and design. “Our exhibitors also want bigger space… that calls for innovation and thought on our part, where we can have larger spaces and more exhibitors as well.”
The ZITF chairman also underscored the strategic importance of engaging the diplomatic community ahead of the annual showcase, describing diplomats as critical conduits to global markets.
“It’s important to engage diplomats because diplomats reach out to their private sector groupings… they are our gateway to connect to the private sectors from different countries,” he said.
Dr Moyo noted that embassies have played a key role in repositioning the trade fair as a multi-stakeholder platform linking business and government.
“They’ve been supporting us since we began this journey of repositioning ZITF as a multi-stakeholder platform that connects the local private sector with government… but we also now have this angle of connecting businesses to diplomats so that we can have a confluence,” he said.
He added that the growing participation of private sector firms, beyond traditional diplomatic representation, reflects increasing confidence in the platform.
“Private sector companies are coming through now… to connect with Zimbabwean enterprises and the local consumer public in Zimbabwe as well,” he said.
The annual trade showcase is set to run from 20 to 25 April 2026 at the Zimbabwe Conference and Exhibition Smart City (ZICES) in Bulawayo under the theme; “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries.”
The annual trade fair is expected to provide a key platform for investment promotion, business networking and international engagement as Zimbabwe continues to position itself as a competitive destination for trade and investment.
ZITF is one the largest and most important annual multi-sectoral trade exhibitions in sub-Saharan Africa.
In the previous years, countries that participated in the annual trade showcase include South Africa, Botswana, China, Malawi, Zambia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Egypt, India, Iran, Kenya, Mozambique and several others.
