Africa Economic Development Strategies

Cabinet has approved a new round of reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business by reviewing licences, permits, levies, and fees in sectors not covered in the initial exercise.
- Agricultural Marketing Authority industrial h**p registration fee reduced.
- Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe industrial h**p processing & licence fee reduced.
- Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe medicinal cannabis research permit fee reduced.
- Tri‑cycles formalised.
- Sport levy, 6% gate‑takings levy cut by 50%.
- ZIFA levy, 6% of gross match‑day income reduced by 50%.
- Premier Soccer League levy dropped from 10% of net income to 4%.
- Local authority venue hire reduced from 15% of gross attendance to 10%.
- Outdoor advertising capped at $2.50 per square metre.
- Cemetery entry fees abolished.
https://aedsafrica.com/cabinet-cuts-licences-fees-to-boost-ease-of-doing-business/

Old Mutual is set to begin trading on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange on August 12, 2026, following approval to migrate its secondary listing from the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange . Trading in Old Mutual shares on the ZSE had been suspended since June 2020 under a government directive targeting implied exchange rate instability.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development will convene the National Agriculture Conference and Expo 2026 next month to unlock sector growth while tackling persistent operational hurdles.
To run from September 17 to 18, 2026, the high-level gathering serves as a critical strategic platform to review national agricultural sector performance, mobilise structured investments, and align public and private stakeholders around the priorities of the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy Phase II.
https://aedsafrica.com/national-agriculture-conference-expo-set-for-september/

The Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe says the mining sector requires approximately US$2 billion in capital for beneficiation this year, with 70% of the funding targeted at the platinum group metals and lithium industries. https://aedsafrica.com/zim-mining-faces-us2-billion-beneficiation-gap-in-2026/

Monetary developments
- Broad money stock reached ZiG141.1 billion in May 2026, marking a 30.6% increase from ZiG108.1 billion in December 2025.
- The expansion was largely driven by a 29.2% increase in the foreign currency component (growing from ZiG87.9 billion to ZiG113.6 billion), highlighting the ongoing dominance of foreign currency deposits in overall market liquidity.
- The local currency portion of broad money increased by 36.8% to ZiG27.6 billion from ZiG20.2 billion over the same five-month period.
- Total reserve money stock (including foreign currency reserves) grew 19.8%, increasing from ZiG29.4 billion in December 2025 to ZiG35.2 billion in May 2026.
- Reserve money growth remained stable and contained through the first five months of 2026, driven by a prudent monetary policy stance.
https://aedsafrica.com/broad-money-supply-reaches-zig141-billion-in-may-2026/

Edgars Stores is voluntarily delisting from the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange . In 2024, the clothing retailer ended its nearly five-decade run on the to list on the USD-denominated VFEX. said further details of the transaction will be provided once all regulatory processes and further deliberations have been finalised.

- Diaspora remittances are projected to reach US$3.1 billion in 2026, up from US$2.8 billion realised in 2025.
- Diaspora remittances are estimated to have increased by 41% year-on-year to US$1.5 billion during the first half of 2026, compared to US$1.1 billion during H1 2025.
- The surge in remittances significantly contributed to the growth of the current account surplus.
- Export receipts accounted for 70.3% of total foreign currency receipts, while diaspora remittances accounted for 14.4%.
- Total foreign currency receipts increased by 47.8% to reach US$10.7 billion between January and June 2026, up from US$7.3 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.
https://aedsafrica.com/diaspora-remittances-forecast-to-hit-us3-1-billion-in-2026/

The government is establishing an Infrastructure Development Fund to accelerate critical infrastructure projects and ease fiscal pressure on public finances by leveraging capital from domestic, regional, and international institutions.
https://aedsafrica.com/government-launches-idf-to-mobilise-capital-for-key-infrastructure/

Government launches IDF to mobilise capital for key infrastructure - Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS) The government is establishing an Infrastructure Development Fund (IDF) to accelerate critical infrastructure projects and ease fiscal pressure on public finances by leveraging capital from domestic, regional, and international institutions. […]

Treasury says it paid US$170 million in external debt servicing between January and June 2026, covering active loans, legacy obligations, and token payments.
Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Prof Mthuli Ncube said the government serviced the active loan portfolio, legacy debt and token payments amounting to US$161 million, US$5.5 million and US$3.6 million, respectively.

https://aedsafrica.com/treasury-services-us170-million-in-external-debt-in-h1-2026/

Foreign direct investment inflows into Zimbabwe surged to US$964.9 million last year, from US$566.7 million recorded in 2024, driven primarily by large-scale capital deployments in mining and energy projects
aedsafrica.com/zimbabwe-fdi-i…