Business Reporter
LOCAL businesses must move away from reactive compliance and embed proactive legal risk management into their core business strategies to navigate the country’s regulatory landscape, a top Zimbabwean legal expert has said.
Addressing corporate executives at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI)-Zimpapers organised Strategic Intelligence Forum in Harare, Scanlen & Holderness senior partner Ms Nellie Tiyago warned that regulatory complexity should not be viewed as random, but as a key business parameter that requires continuous legal foresight.
Ms Tiyago emphasised that managing statutory updates, tax frameworks and regulatory requirements is no longer a backend administrative function, but a fundamental driver of enterprise survival and long-term competitiveness.
“Regulatory complexity in Zimbabwe is real and it is not random,” Ms Tiyago said.
“Businesses that will do best are the ones that treat legal foresight as part of strategy. Sit down with regulators before a policy is enforced, not across the courtroom afterwards.”
A key pillar of her address centered on securing written directives from state authorities to protect investments against administrative policy shifts or statutory re-interpretations.
She advised corporate boards and finance directors to ensure every administrative clearance, tax dispensation, or policy interpretation granted by authorities is backed by formal, written documentation.
“Written guidance protects your position if the position is later changed,” she noted, adding that when regulatory interpretations evolve post-event, documented official guidance remains a firm’s strongest defense against penalties.
Ms Tiyago drew attention to tax compliance under the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), urging businesses to take advantage of voluntary disclosure mechanisms before statutory windows tighten.
She cautioned firms against operating on auto-pilot or delaying compliance simply because they have held operating licenses for extended periods.
“ZIMRA says self-report, right? I hope we all did. Because they are now redefining self-reporting, and businesses won’t be able to benefit from the free pass that came with self-reporting previously,” she warned.
She urged corporate leadership teams to audit their tax positions immediately and resolve any compliance anomalies directly with authorities.
Call to Action for Industry
To mitigate exposure to statutory friction, Ms Tiyago recommended a three-tier action plan for corporate executives:
Ms Tiyago said Zimbabwean businesses should establish regular legal health checks across all operational divisions to catch statutory overlaps before penalties accrue.
Businesses should also utilise industry advocacy bodies such as the CZI, Ms Toyago said, to maintain constructive dialogue with policymakers and regulatory agencies rather than resorting to courtroom litigation.
Ms Tiyago added that businesses must ensure all administrative permissions and compliance agreements are captured in written form to secure institutional memory and legal standing.
Ms Tiyago concluded by reminding industry leaders that legal foresight is an executive responsibility, stating that companies that align their strategies with proactive risk management are best positioned to scale sustainably and attract investment.
