Zimbabwe’s housing market has long been defined by high entry barriers, prohibitive costs, and trust deficits, particularly for those in the diaspora who often fall victim to fraudulent property transactions.
Against this backdrop, TN CyberTech Bank, led by lawyer and businessman Tawanda Nyambirai, has introduced what it calls a revolutionary empowerment scheme that seeks to rewrite the script of property ownership. In partnership with Lucile Real Estate, the bank is offering over 100 houses in Ruwa on flexible co-ownership terms that Nyambirai insists will broaden access to housing across social and economic divides.
The model is simple yet disruptive. Each house is pegged at a cash price of US$75,000, but buyers are not compelled to purchase outright ownership. Instead, they may acquire a share ranging from 40 percent to 90 percent, while the bank retains the balance. With a deposit of just 10 percent, beneficiaries can immediately take occupancy, while those based abroad can rent out the property from day one. The arrangement is structured so that rent is split proportionally: if a house earns US$500 monthly and the buyer owns 50 percent, they keep half and remit the other half to the bank. That retained share can then be used to reduce installments, creating a self-sustaining payment cycle.
For a market often paralysed by the unaffordability of urban homes, this scheme strikes at the heart of the accessibility challenge. Nyambirai has been emphatic that the objective is empowerment, not exploitation.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will revolutionize property ownership in Zimbabwe. We lead, and others will certainly follow our example,” he said in unveiling the model.
His confidence rests on a carefully structured legal framework. Once a buyer has fully paid for their percentage, title deeds reflecting their undivided share are issued. That means co-owners not only enjoy occupancy rights but also gain the flexibility to sell, rent, or even collateralize their share. In effect, the scheme legitimizes partial ownership while embedding security of tenure.
Yet what elevates the initiative is not just the ownership flexibility but its responsiveness to Zimbabwe’s unpredictable economic terrain. Nyambirai has introduced an option for buyers to purchase the bank’s residual stake under agreed credit terms, with the pricing mechanism designed to cushion both parties against disputes linked to currency changes. This anticipatory mechanism acknowledges the volatility of Zimbabwe’s monetary environment, positioning the scheme as both innovative and pragmatic.
Independent observers have described the deal as “groundbreaking” for a sector long overdue for structural creativity. A Harare-based property analyst noted that,
“by breaking down ownership into affordable slices while safeguarding title, this scheme provides a level of trust and accessibility rarely seen in Zimbabwe’s property market.
” For the diaspora, often sceptical after years of remitting money into fraudulent developments, the bank’s co-ownership model backed by deeds could finally restore confidence in investing back home.
The public reception has been equally telling. Young professionals, squeezed by limited incomes and rising urban rentals, view the scheme as a practical entry point into home ownership. Diaspora Zimbabweans have praised the opportunity to both invest and generate rental income while gradually securing full ownership. What emerges is a narrative of empowerment rooted in shared risk, flexible finance, and institutional accountability.
The broader implication, however, extends beyond real estate. TN CyberTech Bank is simultaneously reimagining its identity as a financial institution. Nyambirai has laid out a three-part strategy to transition the bank into a fully-fledged Neobank. The plan includes converting physical branches into automated service centres, remodelling the agency banking system to rely on machines rather than human agents, and expanding digital platforms that allow customers to transact where they live, work, or play. Taken together, these reforms suggest that the Ruwa housing scheme is not an isolated innovation but part of a larger philosophy of leveraging technology to drive inclusion.
What is clear is that the scheme seeks to democratize access to one of life’s most essential assets: a home. By fusing property, finance, and technology, TN CyberTech is attempting to create a new pathway for ordinary Zimbabweans and diaspora communities to anchor themselves in the economy. While questions remain about affordability under high interest rates and long-term sustainability, the scheme has opened a national conversation on creative housing finance. If successfully implemented, it may well become the model that shifts property ownership from being a privilege of the few to an attainable reality for the many.
