By Staff Reporter
Buy Zimbabwe and the Content Creators Association of Zimbabwe (COCAZ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to harness the power of social media influencers in promoting locally manufactured goods.
The partnership, announced at a signing ceremony in Harare, will see more than 400 content creators—boasting a combined reach of over five million followers—leveraging their online influence to drive sales and create a preference for Zimbabwean-made products.
Speaking during the signing in ceremony, Buy Zimbabwe Chairperson Munyaradzi Hwengwere highlighted the significance of integrating influencers into the campaign to boost local industries, noting that while the country’s digital space has evolved over the past decade, influencers have not been fully utilized in promoting domestic products.
“A lot of locally produced goods and services have been dying for market access, yet we have individuals or institutions that speak and are listened to by the market as far as beyond the borders of Zimbabwe.
“We need to work with those influencers to make sure that the Zimbabwean product is known and appreciated for what it is,” Hwengwere said
He urged Buy Zimbabwe members to actively support COCAZ, saying content creators could help craft a positive narrative about Zimbabwean industry.
For COCAZ, the partnership represents a critical step in legitimising the influence economy.
COCAZ Chairperson Victor Mpofu, popularly known as Doc Vikela, called the MOU a landmark agreement for content creators.
“We are in an industry that is not so much formalized, but we seek to formalize it. The only way we realized how we could make our business make sense is to go out there and present what we have, which is our media impact on the market. We realized that there is Buy Zimbabwe, which specializes in promoting local products, and decided to work with them to tap into the market.” Mpofu said
The five-year agreement includes joint marketing campaigns, capacity-building workshops, and a commission-based revenue-sharing model aimed at ensuring sustainability for both brands and content creators.
By merging the influence of digital creators with the objectives of Buy Zimbabwe, the initiative is expected to stimulate local production, create employment, and enhance economic opportunities for young creatives.
The collaboration signals a new era where social media is not just a platform for entertainment but a driving force in shaping consumer behavior and national economic growth.
