Online Reporter
Nelson Gahadza
Zimbabwe must continue to strengthen transparency, improve infrastructure, reform regulatory systems and establish robust monitoring mechanisms for the mining sector to realise its transformative potential and deliver sustainable economic growth.
Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Institute (ZEPARI) executive director Dr Gibson Chigumira, presenting an evidence-based assessment of the mining industry’s contribution to the economy at the Chamber of Mines Zimbabwe Annual Mining Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, said the country needed to move beyond headline figures and systematically measure the sector’s broader developmental impact.
Delivering a presentation under the theme “Unlock Value, Maximise Benefits, Sustain Growth”, he said the mining sector was already a key pillar of the economy, but several structural weaknesses were preventing Zimbabwe from fully benefiting from its vast mineral wealth.
“We need to enhance transparency and accountability in contract negotiations, production statistics, value addition and export processes. There is also a need to establish a mining contract register and develop systems that adequately report community social investments,” said Dr Chigumira.
He said strengthening infrastructure and institutional systems would improve efficiency and accountability across the sector.
“Zimbabwe should create a centralised mining data portal with standardised methods and templates, install more weighbridges for accurate measurement of mineral exports and enhance skills and technological competencies within Government departments,” he said.
Dr Chigumira also called for legislative reforms and stronger stakeholder engagement.
“We must strengthen legislative frameworks to improve mining sector performance, encourage periodic public disclosures and create better communication between Government, mining companies and civil society. Building trust among stakeholders is essential for sustainable growth.”
He further recommended the development of comprehensive monitoring systems that include key performance indicators, regular economic assessments and evaluations of environmental and social contributions made by mining companies.
The recommendations come as the sector continues to cement its role as one of Zimbabwe’s most important economic drivers.
According to the presentation, mining contributed 14,5 percent to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025, up from 12,8 percent in 2021, underlining its growing significance in the economy.
Mineral exports also reached US$7,3 billion in 2025, rising from US$3,7 billion in 2020, with the sector accounting for 75 percent of Zimbabwe’s total exports.
However, Dr Chigumira said stakeholders had identified a major gap in the availability of reliable and consistent data that could inform policymaking.
“There is general agreement among stakeholders that the contribution of mining goes beyond traditional macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, employment, fiscal revenue, exports and foreign direct investment,” he said.
“It also encompasses community empowerment programmes, environmental, social and governance issues, infrastructure development, education and health, capital market development and rural industrialisation. The missing link is systematic data and documented evidence to support policy discussions and decision-making.”
Despite its strong performance, he warned that several challenges continued to undermine the sector’s potential.
These include a high-cost operating environment characterised by elevated royalty rates, expensive electricity tariffs and financing costs, fragile power supplies, foreign currency shortages, delays in payments for surrendered export proceeds and limited access to capital.
He said these constraints were reducing mining companies’ capacity to reinvest and expand operations.
Dr Chigumira also cautioned that because mineral resources were finite, Zimbabwe needed long-term strategies that would ensure mining wealth translated into lasting development.
