Zimbabwe’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Battle It Out at NBCC Finals

Zimbabwe’s next generation of entrepreneurs will take centre stage this week as 10 schools from across the country battle for national recognition at the 2026 National Business Case Competition (NBCC) finals.

The finals, set for September 11 at Prince Edward School in Harare, are being hosted by Emergination Africa in partnership with Higherlife Foundation and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The competition is designed to equip high school learners with practical entrepreneurship skills, enabling them to turn ideas into viable businesses and create employment rather than relying solely on the formal job market.

The 10 finalists emerged from provincial competitions conducted across all 10 provinces, with the programme reaching more than 100 schools through the Learner Entrepreneurship Training Programme.

The ventures being presented at the finals include climate-smart agriculture models, waste management solutions, education technologies and artificial intelligence-driven innovations.

Emergination Africa Country Director Farai Mushawasha said the initiative was intended to shift how young Zimbabweans approach employment.

“The NBCC is more than a competition. It is a movement to ignite young minds and prove that Zimbabwe’s learners are not waiting for jobs, they are creating them,” Mushawasha said.

He said partnerships between the private sector, foundations and Government were critical in preparing young people for a changing economy.

“We are building a generation of young entrepreneurs who will drive innovation, create opportunities for others, and reshape our economy,” he said.

The initiative comes as youth unemployment remains a major challenge across Africa, with the organisers citing limited access to tertiary education and employment opportunities as some of the factors driving the need for stronger entrepreneurship education.

Unlike traditional academic competitions, the NBCC requires learners to identify real-world problems and develop commercially viable solutions, with the finalists expected to demonstrate how their ideas can be scaled beyond the competition.

The participating schools are Nyabata High School from Masvingo, Thornhill High School from Midlands, Nyanga High School and Marist Brothers from Manicaland, Excell Group of Schools from Mashonaland Central, Mutoko Government High School from Mashonaland East, Rydings College from Mashonaland West, Queen Elizabeth School from Harare, Eveline Girls High from Bulawayo, Mtshabezi High School from Matabeleland South and Tsholotsho High School from Matabeleland North.

The finals are part of broader efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship education in schools and align learner development with Zimbabwe’s skills development and employment priorities.

The organisers said the programme was intended to ensure that young people leave school with more than academic qualifications, but also with the ability to identify economic opportunities, develop businesses and create jobs.

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