THE government continues to refine the ease of doing business environment by aligning licensing frameworks with international best practices, reducing overlapping charges, and scrapping unnecessary fees in a bid to attract more investment and sustain economic growth above six percent.
Speaking during a Post-Cabinet Media Briefing in Harare this Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said Cabinet has approved significant reductions and removals of business licence fees to stimulate private sector participation.
“Cabinet approved the consolidation of fragmented licensing requirements into a single licence, the streamlining of duplicative and overlapping permits, the removal of unnecessary levies, and the lowering of high fees across major wholesale and retail sub-sectors,” said Dr Muswere.
Among the reviewed fees, the Liquor licence application fee will be reduced to US$20 across all sectors, down from US$1 080 for wholesalers.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) permit fee of US$200 for trade in veterinary products will be removed entirely. The Local Authority bakery licence fee of US$703 will also be scrapped. Local authority licence fees will now be capped for uniformity nationwide.
Dr Muswere added that the reviewed licences, permits, and fees will undergo further refinements before being gazetted.
conomic Development and Investment Promotion, Professor Mthuli Ncube, said the high charges previously imposed by some local authorities had been a deterrent to both local and foreign investment.
Turning to the agriculture sector, Dr Muswere said Zimbabwe remains food secure, with the government accelerating dam construction projects to strengthen resilience.
He revealed that 28.7 million kilogrammes of cotton have been sold to six contractors since the marketing season began on 24 July 2025, a 108% increase compared to last year. Tobacco sales have reached a record 354.8 million kilogrammes, valued at US$1.17 billion, while seed sales are 13% higher than the same period in 2024.
The area under irrigated tobacco has increased by 11.5% to 15 655 hectares.
The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, said the government continues to expand water infrastructure, with 12 new dams under construction on top of the existing 10 600, including major projects such as Kunzvi Dam and Gwayi-Shangani Lake.
Cabinet also reviewed progress on the Five Miles Industrial Park in Hwange, which will house a 235-megawatt power plant, a cement factory, and a coking plant.
“The integrated industrial project aligns with the National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030 goals of promoting value addition, beneficiation, job creation, and GDP growth,” said Dr Muswere.
“To date, the project has achieved an installed capacity of 100 megawatts already feeding into the national grid, coke production of 250 000 tonnes per year, and cement output of 100 000 tonnes annually.”
The streamlining of fees and continued infrastructure development underline the Second Republic’s commitment to creating a competitive business environment and driving inclusive industrialisation across rural and urban economies.
