Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo [email protected]
THE National Competitiveness Commission (NCC) will convene its second flagship 2026 Competitiveness Summit from 15-16 September 2026 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibitionand Conference Smart City in Bulawayo, with a sharp focus on cutting regulatory costs and improving the ease of doing business.
The commission said the summit builds on resolutions from the inaugural meeting and is designed not merely as a conference, but as a platform for dialogue, collaboration and action.
According to the NCC, the 2026 Summit comes at a critical time as Zimbabwe works to improve productivity, attract investment, support industrialisation, create jobs and drive inclusive growth.
“The summit will focus on translating previous resolutions into measurable action,” said the commission.
“Its outcomes are intended to support reforms that improve the competitiveness of Zimbabwean goods and services in domestic, regional and international markets.”
This year’s theme is: “Accelerating Regulatory Reforms and Ease of Doing Business for a Dynamic and Competitive Zimbabwean Economy.”
The commission said the theme responds directly to feedback from the first summit, where businesses cited a regulatory environment that was fragmented, overlapping and costly.
Since then, the Government has institutionalised Regulatory Impact Assessment and reviewed fees, licences and permits across 13 priority sectors including broadcasting and telecommunications, livestock, dairy and feedstock manufacturing, tourism, wholesale and retail, transport, financial services, construction and energy.”
Ease of Doing Business Reforms is a continuous, dynamic process,” added the NCC.
“The summit will provide an opportunity to assess progress on implementation of these reforms and impact of these initiatives and identify areas requiring further action.”
The commission stressed that it was not advocating for deregulation but said it will push for what it calls (SMART) regulations, regulations that are streamlined, meaningful, adaptable, relevant and transparent to protect public health, consumers and the environment while reducing compliance burdens.
The summit is open to business leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, development partners, academia, regulatory authorities, civil society, media and exhibitors.
Delegates will engage policymakers, exchange ideas with regional and international experts, and contribute to recommendations that will inform Zimbabwe’s competitiveness agenda.
Exhibitors will also be able to showcase and sell products. Key discussions will cover progress on 2025 Summit resolution, status of ease-of-doing-business reforms, macro-economic stability as an anchor for productivity, mining beneficiation, sustainable finance, including green bonds and carbon-credit markets, smart regulations for innovation and entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and digitalisation in industry and lessons from regional and international experiences.
The NCC expects the two-day meeting to produce practical outputs, including an assessment of progress on 2025 resolutions, the 2026 Competitiveness Call to Action as a framework for implementation, policy briefs and targeted recommendations for institutions, an actionable roadmap for competitiveness and sustainability, recommendations to reduce regulatory and compliance costs, and stronger collaboration between Government, business, academia and development partners.
NCC said delegate fees are set at US$200, exhibition space is US$300 or the Zimbabwe Gold equivalent and four sponsorship packages available are: platinum at US$5 000, Gold at US$4 000, Silver at US$3 000 and Bronze at US$1 000, each with different benefits.
“For registration, contact Timothy Magenga on 0778408202 or Priviledge on 0773214614, or reach the National Competitiveness Commission through its official social media channels,” said the commission.
The commission invites all stakeholders who are passionate about Zimbabwe’s
economic growth and competitiveness to attend.
“This is an opportunity to move from discussion to implementation by identifying reforms that reduce the cost of doing business, improve productivity, attract investment, support innovation and strengthen Zimbabwe’s position in regional and global markets,” said the NCC.
