Story by Owen Mandovha
THE National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2), launched in November last year, continues to gain traction among stakeholders across various sectors of the economy as Zimbabwe advances towards the attainment of Vision 2030.
Over the past decade, Zimbabwe’s economy has undergone significant transformation, guided by successive economic blueprints aimed at sustaining growth and development. NDS 1 which expired last year, delivered improved macroeconomic stability and culminated in a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of about five percent.
Building on these gains, President Emmerson Mnangagwa unveiled NDS 2, a framework anchored on 10 pillars designed to propel the country into the next phase of socio-economic development towards an upper middle-income society by 2030.
Institutions of higher learning have emerged as key drivers of the government’s development agenda, particularly through the establishment of innovation hubs in line with the Education 5.0 model.
University of Zimbabwe Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, says the institution has aligned its five-year strategic plan and curriculum with NDS 2 to support national development objectives.
“We have a five-year strategic plan that is modelled around NDS 2, and our curriculum is also inspired by the strategy, particularly under the pillar of Science, Technology and Innovation, to create a progressive human resource base. Over the years, we have established industrial parks and innovation hubs that have contributed to sustaining the economy,” he said.
The National Venture Capital Company of Zimbabwe, established under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, is among institutions supporting innovation and enterprise development in line with the national strategy. Chief Executive Officer, Mr Tino Kambasha, said NDS 2 has strengthened efforts to support young innovators and job creation.
“The NDS 2 pillar on youth employment and innovation will continue to guide our mandate. We intend to expand the pool of beneficiaries and increase our reach to support entrepreneurship across the country,” he said.
During the launch of NDS 2, President Mnangagwa called on all stakeholders to support the implementation of the strategy to accelerate economic growth.
“NDS 2 is an outcome of broad-based national consultations. It encapsulates the voices, hopes and aspirations of our people from across the country, including the private sector, faith-based organisations, development partners and the diaspora. It embodies unity, self-reliance and shared responsibility, in line with our national development philosophy,” the President said.
He added that NDS 2 seeks to consolidate gains achieved to date, with implementation anchored on professionalism, stakeholder participation, value for money and timely delivery of impactful results.
Government has since introduced supportive measures, including aligning the tax regime with global benchmarks as outlined in the 2026 National Budget, alongside interventions to reduce the cost of doing business, as part of efforts to industrialise the economy and realise Vision 2030.
