Zimbabwe\u2019s Infrastructure Boom Offers Vast Opportunities, Says Fossil CEO Obey Chimuka<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
By A Correspondent| Zimbabwe\u2019s infrastructure drive presents vast opportunities for local companies, with thousands of kilometres of roadworks and expanding contractor participation creating room for growth, Fossil Contracting chief executive Obey Chimuka has said.<\/p>\n Addressing the ZIM CEOs Policy Roundtable 2026 in Victoria Falls, Chimuka said the country\u2019s construction sector had evolved from modest beginnings during the Government of National Unity era into a space rich with potential for Zimbabweans willing to take risks and build capacity.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you had any piece of equipment worth mentioning, there was work for you. And that was a huge opportunity that presented itself. And I said to myself, I would want to enter this space,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr Chimuka recalled entering the sector with limited resources, despite scepticism from his brother, businessman Dr Kudakwashe Tagwirei. \u201cHe says,\u201d Obey you are going to embarrass me, you don\u2019t know roads, you are not an engineer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He said early trust from clients proved pivotal to the company\u2019s growth. Fossil Contracting\u2019s first project was a road to Tagwirei\u2019s residence, followed by a major contract with Zimplats. \u201cIt was a lucrative contract that allowed us to buy lots of equipment and it is because these people decided to trust us,\u201d Mr Chimuka said.<\/p>\n The company\u2019s breakthrough came in 2017 when it was among five contractors selected to work on the Harare-Beitbridge highway project. \u201cWe did a huge amount of work in a short period, allowing us to build capacity and trust that we can do it ourselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr Chimuka said large-scale projects such as the Trabablas Interchange were initially met with scepticism, but he was advised to focus on delivery. \u201cObey don\u2019t respond to backlash, the Trabablas itself will respond. What we will build will respond for itself; it\u2019s a product that everyone will see,\u201d he said, recalling Dr Tagwirei\u2019s counsel.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI said but I have never built a Trabablas, and he said the person who built the first, who did they do a Trabablas? Don\u2019t you realise that there is always a pioneer in every sector?\u201d<\/p>\n Mr Chimuka noted that the sector has since expanded significantly, with the Ministry of Transport now working with more than 100 contractors. He highlighted the scale of work available, citing over 4,500 kilometres of roads requiring rehabilitation in Harare alone and a national road network exceeding 90,000 kilometres. \u201cHuge opportunities for Zimbabweans,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n On financing, Mr Chimuka said local funding solutions exist if businesses adopt innovative approaches. He outlined Fossil Contracting\u2019s strategy of building an integrated ecosystem to reduce reliance on external inputs.<\/p>\n \u201cOur ecosystem must not have key variables that depend on externals\u2026 That\u2019s why we ended up having our own crushing plant, our sand washing plant, our own scaffolding plant, our own beam making plant, our own concrete baking plant, then we said we must have a cement plant to complement it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He urged business leaders to collaborate rather than compete destructively, saying shared knowledge could accelerate national development. \u201cRather than vilify each other, let\u2019s celebrate each other, let\u2019s share notes and find how we can transform this place,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Mr Chimuka described Zimbabwe as a country of immense promise if viewed with the right mindset. \u201cOpportunities are huge\u2026 this country is one of the greatest countries you could ever be in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n \n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Zimbabwes-Infrastructure-Boom-Offers-Vast-Opportunities-Says-Fossil-CEO-Obey.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\")
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