Zimbabwe's richest man is building the city of the future... What's the story?

Written by Amina Hassan

In a move reflecting a strategic shift in the trajectory of the African digital economy, Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa is leading an ambitious project to build an integrated technology city in the capital, Harare, combining artificial intelligence factories, advanced infrastructure, and digital currency solutions, with the aim of creating an industrial environment that attracts global investment.

A city within a city

The project, named Econet Technology City, is built on 800 acres near Harare International Airport and its design aims to provide a self-sufficient system that includes renewable energy, water, fiber optics, satellite communication, industrial waste management, security and transportation services.

The basic idea, according to Masiwa, is to create a «city within a city» that removes the administrative complexities facing international investors, and gives them an environment ready to establish high-tech factories and data centers without getting lost in the maze of local licenses.

Project management and infrastructure worth one billion dollars

Econet InfraCo manages and operates the project on a daily basis. The company has a market capitalization of approximately $1 billion and has been listed on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange under the symbol INFR.VX since March 31 through a direct listing without raising new capital.

The platform includes strategic assets such as telecommunications towers, renewable energy systems, and real estate belonging to Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, making it a fully integrated independent infrastructure entity.

From artificial intelligence to stablecoins

Masiwa’s ambitions are not limited to industrial real estate; his vision includes strategic partnerships with NVIDIA to create «artificial intelligence factories,» in addition to a joint venture with an American company to promote the adoption of stablecoins in Africa, which supports the digital transformation of the trading system.

Regional competition with global ambitions

The project aims to compete with major technology hubs on the continent, such as Eco Atlantic in Lagos, with the goal of hosting around 300 companies and creating more than 20,000 direct jobs, which could revitalize Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector and reposition it on the African investment map.

New manufacturing spark

Masiwa believes that traditional industrial areas no longer meet the needs of the modern investor, so the city was designed to be a comprehensive center that includes commercial facilities, clinics and support services, without offices or residences, with a complete focus on stimulating high-tech manufacturing.