By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The government has approved wide-ranging regulatory reforms across key sectors in a bid to cut business costs, attract investment and boost economic growth.
The package covers manufacturing, financial services, real estate and health and forms part of efforts to streamline regulations under the country’s Vision 2030 development agenda.
In a statement, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube said Cabinet had signed off the reforms to “eliminate administrative bottlenecks” and make regulation more business-friendly.
He said the changes were aimed at reducing compliance costs, encouraging formalisation of of businesses and improving overall competitiveness.
Under the manufacturing reforms, government has reduced Ministry of Industry import licence fees from US$100 to US$50 for most goods.
The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) boiler registration fee has been capped at US$500 while factory approval plan fees and local authority factory licence charges have been cut by 50 percent.
In a significant policy shift, rural district council timber transportation permits have been abolished entirely.
Officials say the measures are intended to reduce production costs and strengthen local industry competitiveness.
“The reforms will promote re-industrialisation, improve capacity utilisation and support the growth of MSMEs within manufacturing value chains,” Ncube said.
In the financial services sector, the government has introduced cuts to supervision and licensing fees, including a reduction in Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe supervision charges to 0.007 percent of assets, capped at US$40,000.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will also oversee the introduction of zero-cost bank accounts for small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) alongside lower cash withdrawal and mobile money transaction fees.
In addition, rural licensing fees for Agricultural Lending Development Agency branches have been removed, while the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe will reduce registration and licensing fees by 50 percent.
Government says the changes are designed to deepen financial inclusion and improve access to credit and banking services.
The real estate and construction sector will also see major regulatory easing including capped and standardised building plan approval fees across local authorities.
Some building permit requirements have been abolished while environmental impact assessment requirements imposed by councils have been removed.
Certificate of occupation fees will be cut by half, and contractor registration fees standardised at US$20 nationwide.
Officials say the reforms are aimed at speeding up construction approvals, reducing delays and encouraging investment in housing and infrastructure.
In the health sector, the government has abolished Health Professions Authority licences for pharmaceutical and manufacturing wholesalers and reduced licensing fees for hospitals and laboratories by 20 to 30 percent.
The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe pharmacy licence fees have also been removed, alongside cuts in medicine registration and professional practising fees.
These reductions apply to doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists.
Treasury said the reforms will lower the cost of running health facilities and improve access to affordable healthcare services.
“The interventions will reduce the cost of establishing and operating healthcare facilities, thereby encouraging investment in both public and private healthcare provision,” Ncube said.
Government says the overall reforms are part of a broader effort to unlock productivity, attract investment and support sustainable economic growth.
“By reducing regulatory burdens and associated costs, Government seeks to stimulate investment, improve efficiency and drive economic transformation,” Ncube added.
