By Shephard Kembo
For far too long, the African business landscape, particularly in Zimbabwe, has been characterised by a culture of “dealing” for short-term gain rather than building sustainable businesses. From street corners to boardrooms, the obsession with quick profits, arbitrage, and transactional hustle has overwhelmed the deeper pursuit of sustainable enterprise development. While this reactive business model has served as a coping mechanism amid economic turbulence, it is not the formula for sustainable prosperity.
This article is a call to arms. A call for entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe, South Africa, across Africa, and the global South to shift from the transient nature of deals to the transformative potential of building real sustainable businesses, rooted in value creation, innovation, long-term partnerships, and measurable impact.
From Harare to Johannesburg: A Pattern That Must Shift
Walk through downtown Harare or central Johannesburg, and you will notice a common trend, traders, agents, middlemen, and importers. Many are merely shifting products from one place to another with minimal value addition. They ride on unsustainable short-term margins, markups, and momentary opportunities. Yet, few invest in production, systems, brand development, and or structured growth.
Let us be clear, dealing is not entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is about building something from nothing. It is about innovating, solving problems, and creating long-term economic value. It is the courage to plant trees you may not sit under.
Let us briefly focus on real business-life examples of unsustainable business opportunities and available alternative options for sustainability;
Example 1: Zimbabwe’s Agro-Processing Gap; Zimbabwe exports tonnes of raw agricultural produce: tobacco, maize, citrus, and so on. But very little of it is value-added locally. Imagine if Zimbabwean entrepreneurs pooled capital to build agro-processing hubs – drying plants, juice factories, or tobacco curing and packaging lines that could produce export-ready finished goods. That is the difference between a dealer and a builder. One sells the crop. The other builds the brand.
Example 2: South Africa’s Renewable Energy Ecosystem
In South Africa, the government has opened up Independent Power Producer (IPP) markets to address power shortages. Yet many local entrepreneurs are still focused on importing solar panels and reselling them. Meanwhile, builders are partnering with international firms to manufacture components locally, train technicians, and create installation franchises. Those are builders, people who see beyond the box going for long-term gains.
Example 3: Rwanda’s Innovation Ecosystem
Rwanda is quietly becoming a hub for African innovation. Through initiatives like Kigali Innovation City, they are building infrastructure, forming PPPs, and attracting foreign startups to co-create with local talent. Entrepreneurs are launching fintechs, healthtechs, and agritech companies that serve not only Rwanda but the wider region. That is the commendable and business and entrepreneurial sustainable mindset Africa needs.
A lot of people have then asked what do Real Entrepreneurs do differently under the circumstances?
What Real Entrepreneurs Do Differently
1. They Create Systems, real businesses are scalable. They do not rely on one person. Builders establish systems, financial controls, branding, supply chains, and operational excellence.
2. They Solve Real Problems, while a dealer looks for immediate gaps to exploit, an entrepreneur looks for needs to address. Think of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe. Strive Masiyiwa did not sell SIM cards, he built a mobile revolution.
3. They Form Strategic Partnerships, builders collaborate. Zimbabwean firms should be forming joint ventures with German or Chinese OEMs, not just importing equipment but localising manufacturing, creating training centres, and adding real value.
4. They Embrace Delayed Gratification, builders understand that planting today does not mean harvesting tomorrow. The long-term vision is a competitive edge.
From Survival to Significance: The Opportunity Ahead
Africa is projected to have the world’s largest youth population by 2050. That is not just a statistic; it is a signal. We are sitting on a goldmine of human capital, natural resources, and untapped markets.
• Who will build Africa’s next industrial parks?
• Who will create regional distribution giants?
• Who will own Africa’s digital infrastructure, clean energy networks, or AI-powered agricultural systems?
We must stop waiting for foreign investors to answer these questions. We are the ones.
Advice to Emerging Entrepreneurs
• Look beyond margins; look at models. Do not just resell products; think about how to localise production.
• Think in decades, not days. Your biggest wins will come from ideas that compound over time.
• Do not go it alone. Find mentors, partners, and funders who believe in long-term value.
• Focus on impact, not image. You are not in business to impress; you are in business to implement.
Conclusion: This Is Our Time
We must change the narrative of African entrepreneurship from one of dealing and hustling and hustle alone to stories of vision, value and venture building. We have the tools, the talent, and the tenacity. What we need now is a changed mindset — the courage to think bigger and build better.
The world will not wait for Africa to catch up. But it will partner with Africa which shows it is ready to stand up. Let us rise. Not as dealers. But as builders of Africa’s future.
Shephard Kembo(Managing Partner for Globavel International PVT LTD)
