In April 2026, The Cabinet officially approved the National Formalisation Strategy and the National Employment Policy (2026&ndash;2030). The strategy seeks to transition informal workers and enterprises into the formal economy by improving access to social security, financial services, and legal labour rights

National Formalisation and Employment Policy Approved

Formalise a significant share of the informal economy through a National Formalisation Strategy

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has embarked on an infrastructure modernisation drive that has seen 26 water supply stations across the Runde Catchment being converted from diesel-powered systems to solar energy, in a move aimed at improving efficiency, reducing operational costs and strengthening rural water security.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) expands solar-powered water supply as 26 stations switch from diesel

Raise proportion of population with access to basic water and sanitation towards 100% by 2030

The Cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ghana to enhance agricultural cooperation. The agreement focuses on modernizing the agri-food sector through irrigation development, agricultural mechanization, and knowledge exchange to build resilient value chains.&nbsp;

Government approves Agricultural Cooperation MoU with Ghana

Place 350,000 hectares of land under irrigation by 2026 countrywide.

Completion of the 100MW Massive Prestige Thermal Power Plant in Beitbridge, developed by Massive Prestige Energy (Pvt) Ltd with Chinese technical and financial backing, under the licensing and regulatory framework of the Government of Zimbabwe

Completion of the 100MW Massive Prestige Thermal Power Plant in Beitbridge

Increase electricity generation from the current 2 950 MW to 6 000 MW, driven by both Government and private sector-led projects.

Cabinet has completed construction of the 235-megawatt Thermal Power Plant in Hwange

235 Hwange Thermal Power Plant Constructed

Deliver at least 2 471 MW of new generation from the priority project list (Batoka, Hwange 1–6 rehab, IPP coal and solar, mini‑hydro's, battery storage)

The government, through the cabinet, has approved a plan to expedite the Sable Chemicals' ammonium plant commissioning.

Cabinet approves the 2026/2027 Summer Crops, Horticulture,  Fisheries and Livestock Plan

Revive the chemical and fertilizer industries to promote local production of fertilizer and chemicals, leveraging locally available raw materials to boost agricultural productivity and promote public-private partnerships to attract investors.

Cabinet considered and approved the review of licences, permits, levies, and fees in the agricultural sub-sectors comprising crops, horticulture, fisheries, and fertilizer, in line with the Cabinet decision of 29 July 2025, which approved the implementation of a raft of business reforms in twelve sectors of the economy.

Cabinet slashes agricultural fees

Government will introduce measures to curb the proliferation of licences, levies, permits, fees and other regulatory instruments that hinder the ease of doing business.

The Cabinet considered and approved the Consumer Protection Policy, which, among other things, aims to regulate the supply of goods and services, safeguard the rights of consumers, and promote fair trading practices in the marketplace.

Cabinet Approves Consumer Protection Policy

Government will enhance regulatory oversight and consumer protection, while promoting sound corporate governance across financial institutions

Implement a comprehensive national roads rehabilitation and upgrade programme aimed at improving connectivity, facilitating trade, and enhancing regional integration.

Phase 2 upgrading of the current pipeline will be implemented and funded through the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe at an estimated cost of US$15 million. The pipeline will have a capacity of 5 billion litres from the current 3 billion per annum, thereby strengthening national petro

Re-purposing and modernisation of the country’s traditional coal-fired and hydro-power plants will be undertaken to create a more sustainable and reliable energy supply base, that way improving energy efficiency

Capacitate the Mining Promotion Corporation (MPC) and the Zimbabwe Geological Survey to undertake systematic exploration, develop bankable mineral projects and package them  for competitive investments

Expand the national grid by 1 715 km and enhance connectivity between generation sites, urban centres and rural communities

Implement a framework to promote private sector participation in electricity transmission and distribution in new power generation projects through concession arrangements under the oversight of the backbone transmission company

To ensure state-owned enterprises effectively deliver on their mandates, the Government will strengthen the legislative, regulatory and institutional frameworks governing them. This will include the review of the: Public Entities Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31]; and Public Procurement and D

Update the Tourism Master Plan, incorporating emerging tourism zones, ensuring coordinated, sustainable, and inclusive tourism development across the country.

Promote community-based tourism projects, while also stimulating entrepreneurship programmes to integrate MSMEs, women and the youth into the tourism value chain.

Expand air connectivity through agreements with new airlines and facilitating easier travel by reviewing the visa regime applicable to tourists, cognisant of regional and global developments and practices.

Expand the Mining Industry Loan Fund  to enable artisanal and small-scale miners access to affordable financing for the acquisition of modern mining equipment, prospecting, and operational startup costs

Formalise and transform artisanal and small-scale mining into a productive and environmentally responsible subsector through simplified licencing, digital registration and cooperative models

Phase out the export of lithium concentrates by January 2027 and support production and export of lithium salts in order to strengthen the lithium value chain.

Prioritise the conversion of natural gas from Muzarabani oil and gas project into electricity to strengthen Zimbabwe’s energy security and industrial productivity while reducing the cost structure of the manufacturing sector.

Formulate and implement a comprehensive coal mining policy that promotes value addition and beneficiation to support the production of downstream products such as fertilizer, while ensuring the recovery and utilisation of  by-products, including tar, gas, and benzene.

Introduce restrictions on exports of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) concentrate to encourage increased beneficiation and curtail the mine-to-port strategy

Implement the Sugar Value Chain Strategy (2026-2035)

Strengthen enforcement of the ban on the importation of second-hand clothing in support of protecting domestic manufacturing.

Enforce the 30/70 lint agreement with ginners under which at least 30% of lint is dedicated towards supply to the local spinners, with export of lint restricted to under 70%

Maintain the existing fiscal incentives for the cotton, textile and clothing value chain such as the manufacturing rebate and a zero percent tax rate on imported capital equipment

Support and incentivise assembling of buses and vehicles in the importation of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and Semi-Knocked Down (SKD) kits

Promote local production of components, provide targeted incentives for assembly plants and integrate micro, small and medium enterprises into supply chains to strengthen domestic value chains in the motor vehicle industry

Promote investment in digital health supply systems and cold-chain infrastructure to support the distribution of temperature-sensitive medicines, vaccines and medical products nationwide.

Establish a dedicated Pharmaceutical Revolving Fund, capitalised by a portion of the sugar tax and the Industrial Development Fund, to directly finance the expansion and modernisation of a domestic pharmaceutical sector

Capacitate NatPharm to venture into production of pharmaceutical products

Prioritise the local production of medical consumables and supplies such as gloves, syringes, reagents and personal protective equipment (PPEs) through support to micro, small and medium-scale enterprises integrated into national value chains

Government will create an enabling policy and regulatory environment that supports local production by rationalising import controls, strengthening the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe and providing targeted fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for pharmaceutical manufacturers and investors.

Incentivise private players into exploitation of the coal to fertilizer value chain, as well as new technologies in the organic fertilizers

The Exclusive Prospecting Order (EPO) framework will be strengthened to enforce performance obligations and eliminate speculative holding

Enforce strict penalties against the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of counterfeit products and strengthen coordination between key institutions involved in stopping  circulation of counterfeit products

Government will strengthen quality control, product certification and standards enforcement through collaboration with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe to ensure locally  produced materials meet national and regional specifications

Government will launch a digital local content platform on which companies can register their production processes for official rating and certification, creating a verifiable database to  guide both public procurement and private sector sourcing

Operationalise the Local Content Strategy by enforcing mandatory local content thresholds for strategic sectors, specifying requirements for the use of local raw materials, and strategically leveraging public procurement to source goods from local manufacturers

Introduction of compulsory insurance schemes in high-risk sectors such as artisanal mining and tailored products for small and medium enterprises.

Promote environmentally sustainable practices, including the adoption of clean technologies, energy-efficient production processes, recycling of paper and wood waste, and development of bio-based products

Revitalise the timber and paper industry from a primarily raw material exporter to a producer of high-value timber products, including furniture, paper and wood-based industrial goods.

Revitalise the leather and footwear industry as a key driver of value addition, employment creation and export diversification; increase the proportion of processed leather from below 10% in 2024 to at least 60% by 2030

Facilitate the development of industrial parks strategically located near key primary production areas and supported by reliable infrastructure, including feeder roads, rail, power supply and other logistics facilities, to drive industrialisation

Implement the National AI Strategy, National Cyber & Data Protection Act, and sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).

Roll out 4G/5G and free Wi‑Fi hotspots under POTRAZ

Provision of skills development, internships, and youth innovation grants

Accelerate job creation and youth development

Increase the employment‑to‑population ratio from 38.5% (2026) to 43–44% by 2030

Raise domestic soya, sunflower and other oil seeds significantly towards the 400 000 t annual demand and cut imports.

Raise wheat output to sustain self‑sufficiency and export surpluses; maintain winter wheat above national requirement (400 000 t).

Clear all outstanding payments owed to farmers by the GMB and future deliveries under NDS 2 will be paid within one month of delivery

Upgrade national silos through modernisation of storage infrastructure aimed at minimising post-harvest losses, preserving grain quality and enhancing efficiency to increase   national storage capacity by 1 million tons to 1.75 million tons

Pursue new projects to significantly boost domestic basal and top-dressing fertilizer production, including Shawa Hills All-in-One phosphate and basal fertilizer plant under Mutapa Investment Fund; Rusununguko-Nkululeko Holdings (Pvt) Ltd and Verify Engineering Joint Venture (Chiredzi); establish pl

Expansion of agricultural index-based insurance to offer affordable climate risk protection to farmers.

Accelerate rural industrialisation by establishing village business units, targeting two units per village.

Strengthen the governance of Community Share Ownership to optimise the impact on host communities to directly benefit from mineral wealth through employment creation, investments in local infrastructure, education,  healthcare and livelihoods.

Give security of tenure to all beneficiaries of the land reform programme previously under the 99-year leases, offer letters and permits through issuance of bankable,  registrable and transferable tenure documents

Put at least 350 000 ha under irrigation by 2026, and accelerate dam‑anchored greenbelts (Tokwe‑Mukosi 200 000 ha in the Lowveld, plus multiple 3–12k ha greenbelts around Osborne,  Muchekeranwa, Gwayi‑Shangani, Tuli‑Manyange, Zhovhe, Vungu, Bindura, Semwa, Silverstroom, Dande).

Drill 35 000 solarised boreholes in rural areas, each linked to a village business unit, at US$160m.

Complete a set of strategic dams (Tuli‑Manyange, Vungu, Bindura, Semwa, Defe, Silverstroom, Dande, Zhovhe expansion, Gwayi‑Shangani, Kunzvi and others) and associated pipelines (Kunzvi–Harare, Muchekeranwa–Wenimbi–Chitungwiza, Gwayi–Bulawayo).

Rehabilitate 1 700 km of track, key bridges, and electrify core corridors

Raise NRZ freight from 2.1 million tonnes (2025) to 12 million tonnes by 2030; restore passenger numbers to 700 000 per year

Build Mabvuku Interchange by 2026 and introduce highway by‑passes for all major new/rehabilitated highways.

Complete dualisation/rehabilitation of key roads (Harare–Masvingo–Beitbridge , Harare–Chirundu, Beitbridge–Bulawayo–Victoria Falls, Harare–Nyamapanda, Harare–Kanyemba, Gweru–Zvishavane–Rutenga–Sango, Harare–Bulawayo (Chegutu section), Harare–Mutare (Marondera section), Kwekwe–Lupane highway, Bulaway

Cut transmission and distribution losses from ~20% to significantly lower levels via new lines and rehabilitation

Increase electricity access from 62% (2022) to universal or near‑universal access by 2030, with continued Rural Electrification Fund (REF) rollout.

Raise installed renewable energy capacity from 2,950 MW to 6 000 MW by 2030.

Reduce income inequality  from 0.50 (2025) to about 0.41 by 2030.

Raise manufactured/value‑added exports from 5.5% of total exports (2025) to 18.4% by 2030.

Operationalise a new National Industrial Policy with strong local‑content rules and public procurement quotas for local producers.

Cut the average cost of remittances and digital payments through more competition and regulatory measures

Through the Reserve Bank, continue to institute targeted reforms to reduce banking costs, rationalise loan interest rates and promote an environment of positive real interest rates on deposits.

Expand youth entrepreneurship finance (Empower Bank, SMEDCO, Women Microfinance Bank) and incubation across all provinces.

Increase share of adults with active transactional accounts, including women, youth and MSMEs, each year.

Accelerating value addition and beneficiation

Raise financial inclusion from 84% (2024) to above 90% of adults by 2030

Increase gross national savings from below 10% of  GDP to 25% of GDP by 2030.

Raise revenue from 16% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (2025) to above 22% by 2030; keep expenditure around 15–20% of GDP.

Limit RBZ lending to Government to below 5% of the previous year’s revenues, and amend the RBZ Act to enforce this ceiling

Maintain annual money supply (broad money) growth between 10–15% over 2026‑2030.

Use the Public Service Pension Fund as a lead institutional investor in infrastructure, housing, energy and agro‑industrial value chains, with timely remittance of contributions.

Create a competitive business environment that attracts domestic and foreign investment

Introduce live infrastructure and diaspora bonds as part of innovative funding options

Ensure the establishment of Village Business Units in rural communities.

Implement a comprehensive strategy to revitalise the long-term savings market as a key source of financing for national development as well as supporting financial sector growth

Prioritise the mobilisation of domestic savings to sustain higher levels of investment and economic growth

Leverage Mutapa Investment Fund's 16bn asset base to raise over 1bn for NDS2 priorities and grow the sovereign wealth fund

Establish regulated crowdfunding platforms to finance start-ups and critical investments in the country

Establish a transparent arrears management framework covering verification, reconciliation and classification of outstanding obligations

Do credit risk assessment for all new borrowing requests through the External and Domestic Debt Management Committee

Re-introduction of the Treasury bill auction system for price discovery.

Government through all its tiers will take a leading role in transacting in ZiG for the procurement of domestic goods and services.

Citizens Watch

Promise

Promise History

National Formalisation and Employment Policy Approved