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Zimbabwe has stepped up measures to improve its investment climate after introducing policy reforms designed to reduce the cost of investing and create a more transparent framework for public-private partnerships between the Government and the private sector.
The Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) said the latest reforms are intended to boost investor confidence, speed up infrastructure development and enhance the country’s competitiveness as an investment destination.
Speaking during the agency’s 2026 media engagement, ZIDA chief executive officer Mr Tafadzwa Chinamo said one of the most significant developments was Cabinet’s approval of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Guideline, which provides a uniform framework for identifying, evaluating and implementing PPP projects.
He said the guideline would improve governance, strengthen coordination among Government institutions and provide investors with greater certainty through clearly defined procedures and risk-sharing arrangements.
Mr Chinamo said the agency had continued to register tangible progress in improving Zimbabwe’s investment environment, despite persistent global economic headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty.
He attributed the gains to policy reforms, stronger engagement with investors and improvements in investment facilitation, adding that the country was beginning to attract higher-value investment proposals and more structured projects.
According to Mr Chinamo, the new PPP framework is expected to accelerate infrastructure delivery by creating a predictable investment environment that encourages greater private sector participation in national development projects.
He said ZIDA would continue implementing reforms aimed at making it easier to establish and operate businesses in Zimbabwe.
In another major policy intervention, the Government approved a downward review of investment licensing fees through Statutory Instruments 17 and 18 of 2026, covering both General Investments and Special Economic Zones.
Mr Chinamo said the reduction in licensing fees was intended to lower the cost of market entry for domestic and international investors, while enhancing Zimbabwe’s attractiveness relative to competing investment destinations.
“The downward review of licensing fees is a deliberate intervention to reduce the cost of entry and enhance Zimbabwe’s competitiveness, reaffirming the country’s commitment to being a cost-competitive investment destination and signalling that Zimbabwe is open for business,” he said.
Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) Head of Public-Private Partnerships and Project Development, Mr Taurai Duku, commended the Government for establishing a clear legal and regulatory framework to guide public-private partnerships (PPPs), saying the reforms would improve collaboration between the public and private sectors.
He said the Public-Private Partnership Act and accompanying guidelines provide a structured process for originating, negotiating and concluding PPP projects, creating greater certainty for investors while ensuring infrastructure partnerships deliver sustainable benefits to the country.
“I would like to laud the Government of Zimbabwe for deliberately coming up with an Act and a guideline that guides the private sector and the public sector on how to originate and how to consummate proper PPP projects that can benefit the country,” said Mr Duku.
The reforms come as countries across the world intensify competition for foreign direct investment, with governments increasingly adopting investor-friendly policies to attract capital amid a challenging global economic and geopolitical environment.
The Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications in the Office of the President and Cabinet Mr George Charamba also attended the event.
