By Maxwell Mapungwana
Harare, (New Ziana)– The Deposit Protection Corporation (DPC) has reported a strong financial and operational performance for 20225, closing the final year of its five-year strategic plan with a significant increase in surplus, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and renewed commitment to financial stability and inclusion.
‎Presenting the Corporation’s 2025 Annual Report and audited financial statements, board chairperson Canan Dube said the year marked the successful conclusion of the DPC’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, which was anchored on resilience, sustainability and operational excellence.
‎He noted that the Corporation’s work remains aligned with the national vision to become an upper middle income society by 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).
‎”The year 2025 was marked by a fragile global economy characterized by volatility, driven by geopolitical conflicts, high inflationary pressures, and monetary tightening in major economies. This slowed down the global economic growth, estimated at about 3 percent (IMF) in 2025, and lower than the previously projected growth of 3.2 percent,” he said.
Dube said despite the challenges, the Zimbabwean economy rebounded strongly, recording Gross Domestic Product growth of 6.6 percent, driven by robust performances in agriculture, mining, services and steel investments, adding that the stability of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) currency and improved monetary discipline also contributed to easing inflationary pressures.
‎”The financial sector demonstrated resilience, with banking institutions maintaining adequate capitalization and liquidity buffers.
He said ‎Within the environment, the DPC reinforced its role as a financial system stabilizer through proactive risk, enhanced payout readiness, strengthened collaboration with financial safety-net players, and regional deposit insurers.
The Corporation, he said, continued to execute its mandate of protecting depositors and promoting financial stability while supporting broader national development goals. A major focus during the year was financial inclusion and public awareness.
‎Through financial literacy programs conducted during Global Money Week, agricultural exhibitions, trade fairs and engagements with tertiary institutions, the DPC reached more than 50 000 students and small-to-medium enterprises across the country, initiatives aimed at improving financial literacy, empowering youth and encouraging greater participation in the formal financial sector. Dube explained.
‎On the international front, Dube said the DPC deepened cooperation with global deposit insurance institutions through participation in the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) Annual General Meeting and Conference in Lisbon.
‎The Corporation also undertook benchmarking visits to Kenya and Nigeria and contributed to the review of international deposit insurance standards.
‎Regionally, the DPC signed Memoranda of Understanding with the West African Monetary Union and the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Malawi to strengthen technical cooperation and crisis preparedness, whilst locally, it entered into a partnership with Zimswitch Technologies aimed at promoting digitalisation, financial inclusion and risk management.
‎Financially, the Corporation posted an inflation-adjusted surplus of ZWG288 million in 2025, more than double the ZWG142 million recorded in 2024. The growth was driven by higher premium collections and strong investment returns.
‎Premium income rose from ZWG269 million to ZWG291 million, while investment income surged from ZWG14 million to ZWG137 million. The increase in investment earnings was largely attributed to fair value gains on equities and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).
‎The Corporation also improved operational efficiency, with its cost-to-income ratio declining from 32 percent to 25 percent. Staff costs as a proportion of income fell from 19 percent to 14 percent, placing the institution on course to achieve a single-digit staff cost-to-revenue ratio in the medium term. Total assets grew by 50 percent in inflation-adjusted terms.
‎As part of efforts to strengthen confidence in the banking sector, Dube said the DPC is reviewing deposit cover limits. Stakeholders will be informed once the review process has been completed.
“‎The Corporation continued to pursue a diversified investment strategy with a strong focus on non-monetary assets. Investments in equities and REITs benefited from positive market performance on both the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) and the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX), contributing significantly to overall returns,” he said.
‎Looking ahead, Dube said the DPC is preparing to launch a new strategic plan that will guide its operations beyond 2025 with key priorities for this year including the full implementation of the Single Customer View (SCV) system across contributory institutions, deployment of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to improve automation, expansion of ESG reporting, and continued efforts to grow the Deposit Protection Fund through strategic investments.
‎Dube commended the Ministry of Finance, financial sector partners, contributory institutions and other stakeholders for their continued support. He also commended management and staff for their dedication and professionalism.
‎”Together, we remain committed to safeguarding deposits, inspiring confidence and contributing to Zimbabwe’s journey towards Vision 2030,” he said.
New Ziana
‎
