Zimbabwe Gazettes New ZiG Banknotes Ahead of April 2026 Rollout

Newly unveiled ZiG banknotes

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion, Mthuli Ncube, has gazetted a new family of ZiG banknotes following their unveiling during the 2026 Monetary Policy Statement. The new notes were first presented last week by John Mushayavanhu, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

According to a statutory instrument published in the Government Gazette, the banknotes will officially enter circulation on 7 April 2026. The notice gives legal effect to the issuance of the new currency series, which includes ZiG10, ZiG20, ZiG50, ZiG100, and ZiG200 denominations.

“The Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion hereby, in terms of section 40(3) of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act [Chapter 22:15], made the following notice specifying the matters determined by the President in terms of subsection (2) of that section,” the statutory instrument states.

The notice further indicates that the new banknotes will replace those currently in circulation, issued under Statutory Instrument 60 of 2024.

However, Ncube said the ZiG10 and ZiG20 notes from the new series will co-circulate with the existing ZiG10 and ZiG20 banknotes issued under the 2024 statutory instrument for an indefinite period. The new ZiG banknotes incorporate several enhanced anti-counterfeiting features designed to improve both security and durability.

Among the features are intaglio printing, magnetic security threads, and colour-shifting elements that make the notes more difficult to replicate. Design elements also incorporate national symbols and wildlife imagery.

The ZiG10 banknote features the RBZ logo, the three balancing rocks as its dominant element, alongside an image of a buffalo printed using intaglio techniques. Other elements include a Zimbabwe Bird security feature, a latent “ZiG” image, and an embedded magnetic thread inscribed “ZIG10”. The reverse side carries an image of the Matopo Hills.

The ZiG20 banknote includes the central bank’s logo and an elephant image on the front, while the reverse side displays the Parliament of Zimbabwe building.

The ZiG50 note features a rhinoceros image, while the ZiG100 banknote incorporates a leopard’s head with a colour-shifting feature that changes from gold to green. It also includes a windowed magnetic security thread inscribed “ZIG100”.

Meanwhile, the ZiG200 banknote carries an image of a lion printed using intaglio on the front, alongside a colour-shifting gold bars motif.

The introduction of the new notes forms part of ongoing efforts by the central bank to strengthen the integrity of Zimbabwe’s gold-backed ZiG currency and enhance public confidence in the monetary system.

ZiG banknotes; Zimbabwe new ZiG currency 2026; RBZ; Mthuli Ncube