The Ministry of Industry and Commerce says the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 215 of 2025 (SI 215 of 2025) is designed to regulate foreign participation in certain designated “Reserved Sectors” of the economy.
The move aims to protect specific economic spaces for Zimbabwean citizens while directing foreign investment toward high-impact, capital-intensive industrialisation.
In a statement released on Friday, 19 December 2025, the Ministry said that under SI 215 of 2025, there are 13 sectors exclusively reserved for Zimbabwean citizens.
These reserved sectors include artisanal and small-scale mining; barber shops, hairdressing and beauty salons; employment agencies; valet services; passenger transportation such as buses, taxis and car hire; customs clearing; tobacco grading and packaging; bakeries; advertising agencies; estate agencies; pharmaceutical retailing; borehole drilling; and the provision, marketing and distribution of local arts and crafts. The Ministry added:
“Foreign nationals operating in the reserved sectors shall, within a period of three years, dispose a minimum of seventy-five per cent (75%) shareholding to Zimbabwean citizens.
“This disposal shall occur in annual batches of a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) per annum, such that the foreign investor’s retained shareholding does not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) at the expiration of the three-year period.”
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce said foreign investors may only operate in certain reserved sectors if they meet specific minimum investment and employment thresholds.
For the retail and wholesale trade sector, foreign investors must employ at least 200 people and invest a minimum of US$20 million.
In the grain milling sector, the minimum requirements are 50 employees and an investment of US$25 million.
Investors in the haulage and logistics sector must also employ at least 200 people, with a minimum investment of US$10 million, while the shipping and forwarding sector requires 200 employees and US$1 million in investment.
The Ministry has given all foreign nationals currently operating in reserved sectors without meeting these thresholds 30 days, from 2 January 2026, to submit a regularisation plan.
Under this plan, foreign operators must divest at least 75% of their equity to Zimbabwean citizens over three years, in annual instalments of no less than 25% per year.
Applications to participate in reserved sectors will be considered within 60 days, and the Ministry may request additional information if necessary.
All submissions must be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and can be submitted through any of the Ministry’s offices nationwide.
The Ministry also directed manufacturing companies to use the correct distribution channels for their products, noting that only locally owned businesses are permitted to operate in the retail and wholesale sector.
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