Online Reporter
Michael Tome, Zimpapers Writer
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has registered about 100 000 new taxpayers this year as part of its efforts to grow the national tax base and integrate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) into the mainstream economy.
Zimra commissioner general, Ms Regina Chinamasa, revealed this in a speech read on her behalf by the head of compliance and automation, Mr Adrian Swarres, during a public lecture at the Zimbabwe National Defence University (ZNDU).
The lecture was titled “Systems, Processes and Challenges of Public Revenue Collection in Zimbabwe”.
The development follows a series of targeted outreach programmes aimed at SMEs and informal traders, providing simplified tax regimes to make compliance easier and more accessible.
According to Zimra, these efforts complement the Government’s ongoing ease of doing business reforms, which include the reduction of certain fees and taxes to encourage compliance and promote business expansion.
According to the tax collector, most SMEs’ record keeping is not at the level of the bigger companies, making the provision of simplified processes, such as the use of presumptive taxes, to bring them on board crucial.
A simplified tax regime for MSMEs in developing countries is generally designed to facilitate voluntary tax compliance and remove obstacles in moving toward business formalisation and growth.
In a separate interview with The Herald Finance and Business, after delivering the commissioner’s speech, Mr Swarres said the initiative was part of Zimra’s broader strategy to enhance revenue mobilisation while supporting business growth through a more inclusive and simplified taxation framework.
“Throughout the year, we have had an outreach programme targeting small-to-medium enterprises. We are looking at the informal sector by providing simplified tax regimes to bring them on board, to make it easier for them to comply. This approach ensures that even informal sector players can participate meaningfully in national development while growing their enterprises.
“So far, we have 100 000 who have been brought on board.
“Now what is required is to nurture them and ensure that they continue to grow so that they continue to contribute to the needs of the country,” he said.
The SME sector is a key part of Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for about 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic and a simplified tax regime will, in a way, promote compliance in the sector.
Normally, the simplified tax regime is designed as a simple lump sum or fixed amount of taxes targeted at micro-enterprises, cognisant that such businesses are often operated by illiterate or semi-literate entrepreneurs.
Zimra also indicated that it has recorded significant growth in several key revenue heads over the past five years, led by Corporate Income Tax, which grew by 85,29 percent. The growth in the tax heads was driven by automation of systems, improved compliance, and the onboarding of previously non-compliant clients.
The Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT) grew by 83,37 percent during the same period, while mining royalties increased by 62,89 percent, reflecting the strong performance of the mining sector.
Customs duty, however, registered the lowest growth at 6,83 percent, partly due to trade policy adjustments and global supply chain shifts.
According to Zimra, ongoing reforms are anchored on its 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, which focuses on customs automation, tax digitalisation, and compliance enhancement while also working towards attaining ISO certification as part of efforts to strengthen governance and operational efficiency.
