Namibian opposition warns the N$2.4bn Dangote-backed oil pipeline could sideline local businesses, distort market power, and expose the country to long-term risks ( image source ) A political firestorm is brewing in Windhoek as opposition leaders warn that the proposed N$2.4 billion Dangote-backed oil pipeline could choke local businesses, tilt market power toward foreign giants, and saddle Namibia with long-term risks disguised as “infrastructure progress.” The project, pitc

A U.S. and South African withdrawal from a G20 ceremonial handover disrupts the summit, raising questions about diplomacy, protocol tensions and political motives ( image source ) A ceremonial handover meant to symbolise unity at the G20 summit instead delivered one of the most striking diplomatic disruptions of the year, after both the United States and South Africa abruptly withdrew from participating. The double no-show, confirmed only hours before the event, triggered a b

China’s Premier Li Qiang visits Zambia for the first time in 28 years, signalling intensified global competition for investment as the country emerges from a debt crisis and seeks renewed growth in mining and infrastructure ( image source ) Zambia will host a Chinese premier for the first time in 28 years this week, a symbolic visit that underscores Beijing’s bid to deepen ties with the copper-rich nation as global partners including Western countries compete for an investmen

Simon Rudland unveils a US$120 million state-of-the-art Cut Rag Processors factory in Harare ( image source ) Harare — Millionaire entrepreneur Simon Rudland will tomorrow officially unveil his US$120 million Cut Rag Processors (CRP) factory in Harare, a state-of-the-art facility executives say will transform Zimbabwe’s tobacco value chain at a time when the country still exports the vast majority of its leaf unprocessed. The Harare plant, commissioned earlier this year, is f

NAMA appoints Scarlet Business Communications and Events Evolution to lead a new era focused on stronger production, broader categories, and deeper partnerships ( image source ) Reginald Matinanga, executive director of Scarlet Business Communications, has assumed leadership of the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA), bringing a mandate to deliver a more ambitious, disciplined, and partner-friendly showcase for Zimbabwe’s creative sector. Working in tandem with Events Evolution

Chinese-backed mining in Zimbabwe sparks public anger over environmental damage, forced evictions and alleged crimes, pressuring government to tighten oversight ( image source ) A growing wave of public anger over Chinese-backed mining projects has put Zimbabwe’s government under pressure to reconcile its investment strategy with mounting local grievances about environmental damage, forced evictions and alleged criminality linked to some foreign operators. Civil-society monit

Zimbabwe is intensifying efforts to help SMEs access the Chinese market, focusing on heritage products, fruit export protocols, trade fairs like CIIE and capacity building ( image source ) Zimbabwe’s government has made expanding market access for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into China a clear priority, Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told Xinhua on the sidelines of the SMEs International Expo in Harare, where she urged exporters to leverage existing bilateral ties a

Zimbabwe’s tobacco season opens with a 22% surge in plantings, driven by improved inputs, strong global demand and renewed farmer confidence ( image source ) Harare — Zimbabwe’s tobacco sector has recorded a strong early-season surge, with the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) confirming that a total of 27,215 hectares have been planted for the 2025–26 season, a 22% increase from the same stage last year. The rise represents one of the most significant early-season

Zimbabwe’s gold-backed ZiG remains stable in 2025, supported by tight monetary discipline, strong reserves, improved exports and growing market confidence ( image source ) Zimbabwe’s gold-backed currency, the ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold), has maintained notable stability through 2025, buoyed by tighter monetary controls, disciplined fiscal management and growing confidence in the reserve-backing framework introduced earlier this year. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) attributes the

A Congolese trader accuses CIO and immigration officers of unlawful detention, asking the ZICC to investigate amid rising downtown Harare tuckshop tensions ( image source ) A Congolese refugee and downtown Harare businessman, Desire Nsengimana, has lodged a formal complaint with the Zimbabwe Independent Complaints Commission (ZICC), accusing State security and immigration officials of harassment and unlawful detention amid an intensifying “tuckshop” turf war in the city centr

Aliko Dangote signs a US$1bn cooperation deal with Zimbabwe, including plans for a 2,000km+ Walvis Bay fuel pipeline and major industrial investments ( image source ) Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote signed a cooperation agreement with Zimbabwean authorities that covers investments in cement, power, fertiliser and petroleum infrastructure, and includes plans for a transnational pipeline linking Walvis Bay in Namibia to Zimbabwe—a project described by officials as spanning

Repeated ZIMRA and police checks along the Beitbridge–Harare corridor, plus rising border fees, are undermining trade despite the upgraded border post ( image source ) The modernised Beitbridge Border Post was built as a public-private partnership to unclog the main artery between Zimbabwe and South Africa, with investors and operators promising faster clearances and improved facilities after a multi-million-dollar upgrade completed under a concession model. Despite the upgra

OK Zimbabwe faces a potential collapse after a US$25 million loss and a 52% revenue drop, as informal traders dominate urban markets and economic instability deepens pressure on formal retailers ( image source ) HARARE – November 11, 2025 — OK Zimbabwe Limited, one of the country’s largest retail chains, is teetering on the brink of collapse following a reported US$25 million loss and a 52% drop in revenue for the financial year ending March 31, 2025. The company’s chairman,

The IMF says Zimbabwe’s 2025 economic rebound is stronger than expected, driven by gold exports, agricultural recovery, and easing inflation ( image source ) HARARE – November 11, 2025 — Zimbabwe’s economy is rebounding faster than anticipated in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which cited higher gold prices, agricultural recovery, and easing inflation as key drivers. The IMF mission, led by Wojciech Maliszewski, concluded its visit to Harare on Nove

Aliko Dangote is expected in Zimbabwe to finalise a US$1 billion industrial investment deal covering cement production, coal mining and power generation ( image source ) Nigerian billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote is expected in Harare this week to finalise a proposed US$1 billion industrial package that spans cement production, coal mining and power generation, according to senior government and business sources. The deal is being described as one of the largest private

Zimbabwe plans to liberalise gold ownership, allowing citizens to buy and hold gold legally ( image source ) Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has endorsed a proposal to liberalise gold ownership for Zimbabwean citizens, calling it a logical reform to align the country’s monetary system with international norms and to offer households a reliable store of value. Speaking at the 2026 pre-budget seminar in Bulawayo, Prof Ncube said the government is reviewing frameworks fr

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has proposed reducing Zimbabwe’s IMTT while slightly raising VAT to maintain revenue stability ( image source ) BULAWAYO — Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube signalled a potential fiscal trade-off at a pre-budget seminar this week, proposing a calibrated reduction in the Intermediated Money Transfer Tax (IMTT) offset by a marginal increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) as the government weighs reform

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s claim that most Zimbabweans now spend over US$9 a day sparks debate ( image source ) BULAWAYO — Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube told delegates at a 2026 pre-budget seminar that the majority of Zimbabweans are now spending in excess of US$9 per day on average, a figure he linked to the nation’s progress toward middle-income thresholds and the broader goals of the National Development Strategy and Vision 2030. His remarks sparked immediat

Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga orders a January ban on raw lithium exports, directing miners to establish local processing plants ( image source ) HARARE — Vice-President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has issued a firm directive to Zimbabwe’s lithium sector, ordering that the export of raw lithium ore and spodumene must end by January, as the government pushes to enforce beneficiation and expand downstream industrial activity. The directive follows a tour of Kamativi Mine in M

ZIMCODD’s new inequality index exposes deep economic disparities in Zimbabwe, urging government reforms in mining governance, taxation, and social investment ( image source ) HARARE — The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has unveiled a new Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index, exposing deep structural inequalities across Zimbabwe and sparking urgent calls for government action to ensure the nation’s mineral wealth benefits all citizens. The CRI in