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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe will conduct its first ever economic census over 2025 and 2026 to produce detailed baseline statistics on the size and structure of the economy and so enhance Government’s policy formulation and decision-making.
The census will be conducted by the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency (ZimStat), Finance and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said in Bulawayo on Monday.
“The 2025 Economic Census is a comprehensive survey that the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency will undertake with the objective to produce comprehensive baseline statistics on the size and structure of the economy.
“The statistics are key for evidence-based policy formulation, decision-making and strategic planning in addition to compilation of the gross domestic product,” he said.
With the census expected to run from January 2025 until the end of 2026, preparatory activities, including mapping of business locations, will start next year.
“Preliminary results are expected by the end of first quarter 2027, with final results by end of second quarter of the same year. In keeping with the devolution agenda, the 2025 economic census will provide valuable insights into the geographical spread of both the business establishments and economic activities across the country,” he said.
The gathered information will be key to the development of a comprehensive statistical business register for use as a sampling frame for subsequent economic surveys.
Zimbabwe launched Vision 2030 in pursuit of a transformative and inclusive development agenda and become a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income economy society.
“To warrant fruition of this noteworthy drive, the 2021-2025 National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 was developed to propel inclusive and sustainable economic growth. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that an economic census be conducted for ground truthing of the country’s achievements, at the same time, providing baseline statistical information for the successor National Development Strategy 2 running from 2026-2030,” Prof Ncube said.
Statistics produced from the census would also map progress made towards regional, continental and global initiatives including the Africa Agenda 2063 and Sustainable Development Goals.
Consistent with the policy of “leaving no one and no place behind”, the census would also cover micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“By obtaining data from MSMEs, development initiatives for the sector will be more informed, ultimately making the MSMEs thrive and at the same time, contributing significantly to the economy,” said Prof Ncube.
The census would be conducted in terms of the Census and Statistics Act and be guided by international guidelines and standards to ensure the statistics are locally relevant, at the same time being regionally and internationally comparable.
The census was a Government priority project and the Minister called for support from the business community through the provision of timely and truthful information, be it state owned enterprises or privately owned businesses, whether registered or not registered.
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