Harare, (New Ziana) -In a bold stride towards modernizing trade, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) has launched a pilot online program to streamline export certification for local businesses.
Known as the Electronic Certificate of Origin (eCO), the program is a key milestone in the country’s digital transformation.
Speaking at the launch event, ZNCC membership executive Prayer Katsaruware said the program is running under the theme “Embracing Change: Shaping the Next Era of Zimbabwe’s Digital Trade.”
He said the eCO initiative replaces the outdated manual system with a fully online process for issuing Certificates of Origin, critical documents in international trade that authenticate the country of origin of exported goods.
“The Certificate of Origin has long been a critical document in export trade. However, the manual, paper-based system we have used for decades has become increasingly outdated. With the eCO, we introduce a fully digital, secure, and accessible platform that will allow exporters to apply for, process, and receive origin certificates online — without needing to leave their offices,” he said.
Katsaaruware said the eCO will allow exporters to apply for, process, and receive their origin certificates entirely online, eliminating the need to visit offices physically adding that this leap forward enhances efficiency, saves costs, and boosts global competitiveness for Zimbabwean exporters.
He said the new system brings Zimbabwe in line with several progressive African countries already leveraging digital certification platforms such as Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and Tunisia, which have seen significant improvements in trade efficiency and security by digitizing their certificate of origin processes.
Ghana, for example, has integrated its eCO into national customs systems, while Rwanda incorporated it into a successful electronic single window, drastically cutting clearance delays, he said.
Zimbabwe’s eCO is expected to deliver similar benefits such as reduced turnaround times with certificates now being processed in hours, not days, cost savings where exporters will avoid printing, courier, and travel expenses as well as increased security, as digital certificates come with tamper-proof features.
Katsaruware said the country is also expected to benefit from faster customs clearance with real-time digital verification speeding up border processing as well as enhanced market competitiveness, where streamlined procedures make Zimbabwean products more attractive globally.
He said the pilot program will begin in the Manicaland region, which was chosen for its dynamic export activity.
Katsaruware commended Loita Zimbabwe, the local technology partner behind the development of the platform, saying their expertise and commitment were instrumental in adapting the system to Zimbabwe’s unique needs.
“The eCO is a tool built for exporters — to lighten your workload, save you time, and open more doors in international markets. This is how we embrace change and shape the future of digital trade in Zimbabwe,” he said.
New Ziana
