Investment Increases in Zimbabwe

President Mugabe speaking at a ceremony launching an agricultural mechanisation project in Zimbabwe during March of 2008.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

US$80m for Zim investment

By Martin Kadzere
Zimbabwe Herald

ZIMBABWE-focused investment firm Masawara intends to raise US$80 million that will be invested in the telecommunications, mining and agriculture sectors.

Reliable sources within the investment firm said some of the funds would also be channelled towards recapitalisation of firms in which Mr Shingi Mutasa’s TA Holdings has interests.

These include PG Industries Ltd, fertilizer firm Sable Chemicals and some hotel operations under TA Holdings.

The firm will also consider investments in neighbouring countries.

Masawara joined London’s Alternative Investment Market on August 19. Neil Woodford, who manages £15 billion for Invesco committed US$25 million to buy a 29,5 percent stake in Masawara, a Jersey-based investment firm.

FMI Holdings, a company owned by a family trust led by Mr Mutasa, among other shareholders owns about 63,4 percent of Masawara.

"The company has already raised US$25 million in a share placing and the target is to come up with between US$60 million and US$80 million to capitalise existing assets and also (funding) new projects," said a source familiar with the plan.

Masawara indicated earlier that Zimbabwe was now offering attractive investment opportunities in various sectors and was geared to take advantage of depressed valuations.

"Following the stabilisation of the economy, Zimbabwe presents an attractive investment opportunity. Masawara is well placed to take advantage of depressed valuations in Zimbabwe as companies look for investments to fund growth.

"While primarily investing in Zimbabwe, the company will also consider investments in neighbouring countries. In addition, while control is not a pre-requisite for investment, the company requires board influence in all of its investments," said Masawara.

Analysts said the Invesco investment would be regarded as a huge vote of confidence in a country that is on the recovery course following a decade of economic downturn.

"There are ample signals that investors are returning to Zimbabwe. A US$25m investment in Zimbabwe is significant as the market value of the ZSE (the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange) is just US$3 billion," said London based Amstel Securities.

It said while "post-crisis" Zimbabwe could be regarded by potential investors as a distressed investment play, "we feel strongly that Zimbabwe has good further recovery potential."

"Investing in Zimbabwe, Africa’s final frontier market, therefore is likely to be highly rewarding. The economy is more vibrant and dynamic than what most investors believe.

"Zimbabwe’s vast mineral wealth clearly indicates that the country is much richer than what official macro statistics indicate at first sight. The country sits on one of the world’s largest deposits of diamonds, gold, nickel and platinum.

"Investors should look at the success story of neighbouring Botswana in order to realise how large the investment potential of Zimbabwe in reality might be. The Botswana economy shows many similar characteristics compared to Zimbabwe and applying Botswana GDP indicators to Zimbabwe imply a potential for Zimbabwe to be able to triple in size.

Masawara currently owns a controlling stake a Harare’s biggest commercial property, Joina City and various investments held in the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed TA.