By Simbarashe Muparaganda
Bulawayo, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe recorded good progress in improving the ease of doing business under the National Development Strategy (NDS) 1, and is advancing this under NDS2, including modernisation of customs-clearance procedures to facilitate trade, investment and industrial development, a senior government official said on Wednesday.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce Ambassador Tadeous Chifamba made the remarks at the National Competitiveness Commission (NCC) 2026 Competitiveness Summit here.
The Summit is being held under the theme, “Accelerating Regulatory Reforms and Ease of Doing Business for a Dynamic and Competitive Zimbabwean Economy.”
It brought together government, business, labour, academia, development partners and civil society to deliberate on, and help remove barriers to investment, productivity, innovation and trade, while advancing ease of doing business and national competitiveness.
“Zimbabwe has recorded progress in improving the ease of doing business under the National Development Strategy(NDS) 1, while NDS2 is advancing reforms, including the modernisation of customs-clearance procedures, to facilitate trade, investment and industrial development,” Chifamba highlighted.
He, however, stressed that further work was needed to align the country’s regulatory systems with emerging regional and global standards, particularly those linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other international frameworks.
“Such alignment will strengthen the capacity of local enterprises to participate in regional and international value chains while ensuring that growth is sustainable and responsible,” he said.
Chifamba noted that government had made further progress in streamlining the investment environment through the establishment of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) and the launch of its e-Regulations Portal.
He explained that the digital platform provides transparent, step-by-step guidance on regulatory procedures, helping investors navigate requirements while reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He also underscored the need for a regulatory environment that promotes enterprise development, encourages investment and allows businesses to respond effectively to domestic, regional and global market changes.
“Regulation should become an enabler of productivity and innovation rather than a constraint on enterprise,” Chifamba stressed.
Industry players have estimated the cost of regulatory compliance at about 18 percent of production costs, a burden Chifamba noted was eroding the competitiveness of the sector.
He described the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy 2, which runs from 2026 to 2030, as a framework to promote value-chain development, local content, rural industrialisation and the revival of manufacturing.
The policy places mineral value addition and beneficiation at the centre of industrial development, with government identifying 11 mineral-based value chains for focused support, he added.
“We can no longer be content with exporting raw materials, our minerals must contribute meaningfully to domestic industrialisation and employment creation, technological development and economic growth,” Chifamba emphasised.
He added that Cabinet’s August 2026 review of licences, permits, levies and fees across key sectors was intended to remove unnecessary charges and reduce unjustifiably high fees.
Chifamba also pointed to the National Competitiveness Baseline Survey, undertaken by the NCC and ZIMSTAT, as an important source of locally generated data for policy formulation and tracking progress towards Vision 2030.
He noted that the Rural and Urban Councils Competitiveness Index would also strengthen service delivery, investment attraction and accountability among local authorities.
Chifamba implored government, the private sector, development partners, professional bodies and research institutions to work together to ensure summit commitments translate into measurable gains.
“Let us use this Summit to deepen our resolve, strengthen collaboration and move from policy commitments to practical implementation,” he urged.
New Ziana
