The People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) is set to host its annual Exporters Seminar as it seeks to help local businesses overcome financing challenges and expand into regional and international markets. The third edition of the seminar will be held on Thursday in Harare under the theme “Accessible Export Finance: Powering Businesses Beyond Borders.”
The event will bring together exporters, policymakers, regulators, financial institutions and trade development organisations to discuss ways of increasing the country’s export capacity. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
POSB chief executive Garainashe Changunda said the seminar was intended to connect businesses with finance, market information and other resources needed to compete beyond Zimbabwe. “As POSB, we believe Zimbabwe has immense export potential across agriculture, horticulture, mining, manufacturing, tourism and services. This potential is not limited to large corporations. “It extends to the small-holder farmer supplying a regional buyer, the SME producing a specialised product, the manufacturer seeking to expand capacity and the young entrepreneur using technology to sell services beyond our borders. However, what often stands between a good opportunity and a completed export transaction is access to the right finance, market information and practical guidance,” Changunda said.
He said the seminar would give businesses an opportunity to engage directly with institutions involved in trade, financing and regulation. “Through the seminar, stakeholders can openly discuss opportunities and barriers, share practical knowledge and build partnerships that support sustainable export growth. It also gives businesses direct access to information on financing options, regulatory requirements, market opportunities and risk-management solutions,” he added. POSB said it had secured a US$10m line of credit from Afreximbank to support qualifying small and medium-sized enterprises operating in export value chains. A separate US$10m trade finance facility is available to qualifying importers, exporters and other businesses involved in international trade. The facility can support transactions through instruments including letters of credit and international guarantees. The bank said the facilities complement its existing pre-shipment, post-shipment, working-capital and asset-finance products.
Exporters can also access multi-currency and FCA export accounts, telegraphic transfers, export-document administration, exchange-control advisory services, international guarantees and documentary collections. Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
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The seminar will examine export finance, foreign-currency support, market opportunities, competitiveness, credit insurance, customs procedures, trade compliance and agricultural export value chains. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Afreximbank, ZimTrade, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and other trade-related institutions are expected to participate. The seminar supports the government’s National Development Strategy 2 which identifies exports as a key source of foreign currency, employment, industrialisation and economic growth.
NDS2 targets an increase in the contribution of manufactured and value-added products to total exports from 5.5% in 2025 to 18.4% by 2030, alongside overall export growth of 10% and value-added export growth of 15%. The seminar will also be livestreamed on POSB’s social media platforms, allowing exporters and other stakeholders unable to attend physically to participate. POSB said the initiative was part of its wider efforts to support productive sectors and increase the participation of Zimbabwean businesses in regional and international trade.
