harare24dmin Simba Jemwa
Business consultancy, once a marginal service in Zimbabwe, is becoming a central feature of corporate strategy as companies look for growth beyond a fragile domestic economy.
Advisory firms are increasingly structuring deals, brokering partnerships, and guiding clients through regulatory uncertainty at a time when Zimbabwean businesses face inflationary pressures and tight capital flows.
“Zimbabwean businesses no longer just want survival tactics; they want growth strategies that can withstand regional competition,” said Mr. Kudzai Owen Mnangagwa, chairman of Outcomes Consultancy, a United Kingdom-based advisory firm.
“Our role has become helping clients shape deals, expand footprints, and unlock value in sectors where traditional thinking would have kept them constrained.”
Consultants say demand is being driven by the search for regional markets under the African Continental Free Trade Area, as well as the need for resilience in tourism, mining, and agriculture. Analysts note that advisory firms are increasingly acting as brokers of trust, linking local companies to international investors and partners.
Unlike global players, which have limited presence in Zimbabwe, homegrown firms have an advantage in navigating shifting policy and regulatory environments.
“Local knowledge is becoming as valuable as financial expertise,” said one Harare-based investment analyst who asked not to be named for professional reasons.
The industry, however, faces challenges. A volatile currency and investor caution mean most contracts remain project-based, limiting the long-term revenue stability of firms. Many consultancies also double as crisis managers, assisting clients with restructuring and compliance in difficult operating conditions.
Mr Mnangagwa said Outcomes is focusing on structuring pan-African partnerships to counter these pressures.
“We are seeing a shift where local companies are no longer content with being national champions—they want to be regional players. Our job is to make that ambition bankable,” he said.
As Zimbabwe repositions itself within regional trade networks, consultancy is emerging as one of the few sectors expanding in scope. Whether the growth proves sustainable will depend on the country’s ability to stabilize its economy and attract foreign capital.
