Zimbabwe’s cement sector is expanding, but a critical shortage of skilled workers is emerging as a major constraint, according to Ndima Rawana, Managing Director of PPC Zimbabwe.
Rawana said companies in the industry are increasingly being forced to develop their own talent internally, as skilled labour is not readily available on the market.
“In Zimbabwe, you don’t go around and pick up skills in the market,” he said, highlighting structural challenges in sourcing experienced personnel.
He noted that the country’s cement industry currently has about eight major players, with six of them being Chinese-owned firms, while PPC Zimbabwe and a local player, Kaya Cement, make up the remainder. The dominance of foreign operators, he said, further tightens the local skills pool, as many rely on expatriate expertise.
“If I have a position, it’s very, very difficult to fill it if I have not developed people within,” Rawana explained, adding that the traditional approach of “buying, building or borrowing skills” is limited in Zimbabwe’s context.
As a result, PPC Zimbabwe has taken a leading role in identifying and nurturing talent, even though some employees eventually leave for opportunities elsewhere. Rawana said this movement of skills is ultimately beneficial for the broader industry.
Despite the skills challenge, Zimbabwe continues to play a pivotal role in PPC’s regional performance.
The company’s African operations recorded a 4% increase in group revenue for the 10 months to December, largely driven by higher cement volumes from Zimbabwe, while earnings in South Africa and Botswana remained flat.
Rawana pointed to strong financial momentum within the Zimbabwean unit, revealing that the company has declared US$49 million in dividends over the past two years, compared to just US$33 million over the previous decade.
“That shows the momentum,” he said.
He also underscored the company’s strong balance sheet, describing PPC Zimbabwe as a debt-free entity, insulating it from interest rate pressures.
On pricing, Rawana stressed the importance of maintaining discipline to protect margins, warning against discounting strategies that could erode profitability.
“Margins are quite good in Zimbabwe, and the pricing discipline has to stick,” he said.
The company’s business model is also largely cash-driven, with most customers paying upfront for deliveries or collections, while only a limited number of large clients operate on short-term credit arrangements.
As cement demand continues to rise alongside construction activity, Rawana’s remarks signal that skills development may become the defining challenge for sustaining growth in Zimbabwe’s rapidly evolving cement industry.
