Online Reporter
Tapiwanashe Mangwiro
Senior Business Reporter
THE local services industry experienced mixed fortunes in the second quarter of 2025, with firms citing easier access to bank credit and steady employment levels, even as demand and order books remained subdued, according to new data from the national
statistics agency.
The latest Services Business Tendency Survey by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) shows that 27,1 percent of businesses found access to bank credit easy during the quarter, compared with 14,2 percent who said it was difficult.
This translated into a positive net balance of 12,9 percentage points, suggesting a modest easing of financial constraints across most sectors.
“Access to credit improved during the second quarter, particularly for construction and financial services companies,” said Mr Mukoki Kureva, ZIMSTAT’s manager for services statistics, during the release of the report. “This points to greater confidence by
financial institutions in the viability of service-sector operations.”
The report notes that 45,8 percent of respondents in the construction industry and 39,4 percent in financial and insurance activities viewed bank lending conditions as easy, the highest among surveyed sectors. In contrast, just 3,2 percent of wholesale and retail
operators reported similar access, underlining continued strain among small-scale traders and shop owners.
Mr Kureva said the data reflects the uneven distribution of credit flows, with financial institutions showing a clear preference for larger, capital-intensive projects. “While credit availability is improving, the perception of risk in trade and hospitality remains high,”
he said.
