Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve
Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has reported successful outcomes stemming from its commitment to international tax transparency that have enabled the country to gain access to crucial offshore data, enhanced international cooperation and recovery of lost, undeclared revenue.
This significant boost to the nation’s domestic revenue mobilisation efforts was revealed by the ZIMRA Commissioner for Domestic Taxes Mr Misheck Govha at the 12th Global Forum Competent Authorities Conference in Victoria Falls on Tuesday.
Mr Govha said through active participation in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, Zimbabwe is already reaping these benefits.
He outlined Zimbabwe’s rapid journey since joining the Global Forum in April 2023, a move driven by a strong commitment to combating tax evasion and improving the collection of public funds.
“A key milestone was reached on July 31, 2025, when Zimbabwe became a signatory to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (MAAC).
“This pivotal action dramatically widened the scope of Zimbabwe’s exchange of information (EOI) network from just 20 bilateral agreements to over 151 tax jurisdictions worldwide,” said Mr Govha.
The practical benefits of this engagement are already being realised.
Mr Govha said ZIMRA in 2024, made 10 outbound requests for information to other countries, followed by a further 9 requests in 2025. “Furthermore, the authority received its first inbound request this year, signalling its growing integration into the global system of tax cooperation,” he said.
“These efforts have yielded positive results, including the recovery of revenue that had been lost due to undeclared offshore assets and income and increased international cooperation.”
Mr Govja further outlined the strategic approach, noting that Zimbabwe has introduced internal EOI guidelines and templates, strengthened coordination across ZIMRA, and sought technical assistance from Global Forum and ATAF as well as HMRC to overcome initial challenges such as delays and rejected requests.
Mr Govha said the journey has not been without its hurdles, including internal coordination issues and rejections of early requests due to legal technicalities.
However, he said ZIMRA has adopted a dynamic approach to addressing these, including investing in IT infrastructure for secure communication and training investigators on EOI case management.
“Underpinning these efforts is strong political will, with the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, recognised as an African Champion on EOI. “Looking ahead, Zimbabwe is firmly on a roadmap towards the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) by 2028,” he said.
This commitment includes a detailed maturity assessment, legislative updates, and the creation of a dedicated working group.
Zimbabwe’s bold steps towards tax transparency are positioning it as a proactive and responsible player in the global effort to ensure tax fairness and strengthen domestic resource mobilisation for national development.
