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Josey Mahachi

Tendai Mugabe Harare Bureau
DANGOTE Group experts who are in the country to finalise investment deals agreed with Zimbabwe were yesterday working to secure a registration certificate that will set the tone for intensive discussions with various ministries on specific projects.

The team, which includes geologists and lawyers among other technocrats, also visited the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to scout for relevant information in line with their investment interests.

Josey Mahachi, who facilitated Aliko Dangote’s visit to Zimbabwe last week, told our Harare Bureau yesterday that comprehensive discussions with specific ministries would commence either today or tomorrow after the issuance of the registration certificate.

Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man with a net worth of US$18 billion according to Forbes Magazine rankings, is the founder of the Dangote Group. He met President Robert Mugabe at State House during his visit and intimated that “we’ve already made up our mind to invest” in Zimbabwe.

Dangote Group has expressed interest to invest in a number of areas including power generation, coal mining and cement manufacturing. Mahachi was optimistic that the registration certificate would be issued at the shortest possible time.

“Today (yesterday) the team has been working on the legal paper work and it was hoping to get the registration certificate before the end of day,” she said.

“Geologists also visited the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to check for the necessary information they want.

“When they’ve all the necessary paper work in place, they’ll then meet specific ministries for further discussions possibly tomorrow or Thursday.”

The six-member team is being led by Abdul Mukhtar who had already committed that they would only leave Zimbabwe after sealing the investment deals.

On Monday, the team had a joint meeting with various ministries that was chaired by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Justin Mupamhanga.

The meeting was aimed at clearing hurdles that might impede the speedy facilitation of the investment deals.

It is understood that the Dangote Group team of experts will have meetings with Ministries of Energy and Power Development, Finance and State institutions such as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority among other key departments.

Dangote Group’s investments are expected to add up to other mega investments that are being finalised between Zimbabwe and China.

This follows the signing of several investment deals between President Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart XI Jinping in August last year.

Zimbabwe is turning out to be an attractive investment destination in Africa and since the beginning of the year the country has hosted more than 60 investment delegations from across the globe.