.png)
The Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) is moving to establish a lithium processing plant, a strategic initiative designed to position Zimbabwe as a central hub in the global battery value chain, drive domestic value addition, and accelerate industrialisation in line with the country’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The announcement was made on Friday by HIT’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe, during the launch of a seminal book on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) authored by Dr. Washington Mbizvo. Dr. Kanhukamwe framed the project as a critical step toward harnessing Zimbabwe’s vast lithium reserves—among the largest in the world—to capture more value domestically rather than exporting raw ore.
“This initiative will unlock vast opportunities for value addition and industrialisation,” Dr. Kanhukamwe stated. “It will not only strengthen Zimbabwe’s beneficiation agenda but also anchor the country’s participation in the fast-growing green energy economy.” He emphatically declared lithium “the oil of the future,” adding that “Zimbabwe must be at the centre of that future. This plant at HIT is a step towards making our nation a global hub for energy storage technologies.”
The project arrives at a pivotal moment. Global demand for lithium, a fundamental component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage systems, is soaring. By moving into processing, Zimbabwe aims to transition from being a mere exporter of raw lithium concentrate to a producer of higher-value battery-grade materials, thereby capturing a more significant segment of the lucrative international market.
This ambition is already being mirrored by private industry. The recent commissioning of a $300 million lithium processing plant in Goromonzi by Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ), an arm of Chinese battery materials giant Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, underscores the sector’s rapid development. That facility alone has the capacity to process 4.5 million metric tons of hard rock lithium into concentrate for export annually. The HIT plant, while distinct as an institutionally driven project, signifies a parallel and reinforcing national strategy to build indigenous capacity and expertise in this critical sector.
The economic implications are substantial. By processing lithium locally, Zimbabwe can create higher-skilled jobs, increase tax revenues, reduce the costs associated with exporting unprocessed bulk materials, and foster a supportive ecosystem of downstream industries. This aligns perfectly with the government’s beneficiation agenda, which seeks to ensure that the nation’s mineral wealth translates into broader and more sustainable economic development. “It will cement Zimbabwe’s role as an emerging economic powerhouse in the field of battery development,” Dr. Kanhukamwe affirmed.
Crucially, the success of such high-tech industrial projects is inextricably linked to skills development. During the book launch, Dr. Kanhukamwe highlighted this symbiotic relationship, praising Dr. Mbizvo’s work, A Policy and Institutional Framework for TVET in Zimbabwe, as an essential blueprint. He described it as “a beacon of scholarly excellence” that provides much-needed guidance for policymakers and institutional leaders.
“The book is not merely an academic contribution,” he noted, “but a policy and institutional blueprint aligned with Zimbabwe’s national development vision.” This emphasis on TVET is critical. Establishing and operating a modern lithium processing plant requires a highly skilled workforce of engineers, chemists, metallurgists, and technicians. HIT, as a premier technology institution, is poised to become a central pipeline for this talent, ensuring that the human capital required for this industrial leap is developed domestically.
Zimbabwe’s foray into lithium processing is a testament to a broader vision of economic transformation. With global markets increasingly prioritising sustainable and ethically sourced supply chains for critical minerals, Zimbabwe has a unique opportunity to leverage its mineral wealth for structural economic change. The country is already a significant lithium producer, with projects like the Bikita Minerals mine and the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum project contributing to its output.
The HIT initiative represents a significant investment in national capability. It signals a shift from reliance on foreign expertise and capital for complex processing to building homegrown institutional knowledge. This empowers local engineers and scientists and ensures that the intellectual property and technical know-how remain within the country, fostering long-term innovation and self-reliance.
Looking ahead, the prospects for Zimbabwe’s lithium sector are exceptionally bright. The relentless global push for decarbonization and the rapid adoption of electric vehicles guarantee sustained long-term demand for lithium. By establishing processing infrastructure and investing in the necessary human capital today, Zimbabwe is positioning itself to become a major and indispensable player in the global lithium supply chain of tomorrow.
This project, therefore, is more than just a single plant; it is a statement of intent. It represents a concerted effort to move beyond resource extraction to technological mastery and industrial participation. By integrating industrial policy with education reform, as exemplified by the focus on TVET, Zimbabwe is laying a foundation for economic growth that is both sustainable and inclusive, ensuring that the benefits of its mineral endowment are felt across its economy and society for generations to come.
