Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Senior Writer
THE business community has welcomed Government’s bold move to scrap 11 separate licence requirements and consolidate fragmented local authority permits into a single, unitary licence, a key milestone under ongoing reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.
The initiative feeds into President Mnangagwa’s commitment to the Ease of Doing Business through Regulatory Fees Reforms across all sectors of the economy.
To date, reforms have been rolled out in the livestock, tourism and transport sectors, with the latest phase now focusing on the wholesale and retail sectors.
Under United Nations benchmarks, economies are ranked from 1 to 189 on their Ease of Doing Business Index, where a higher ranking indicates a more conducive regulatory environment for the establishment and operation of local enterprises.
The assessment covers areas such as starting a business, protecting minority investors, dealing with construction permits, registering property, enforcing contracts, resolving insolvency, getting credit, paying taxes and trading across borders.
In separate interviews, business players in the retail and tourism sectors commended the Government for responding to long-standing concerns and introducing tangible measures to lower the cost of doing business.
Travel and leisure operator Mr Tafadzwa Mandiwanzira hailed the recent review of the Tourism and Transport Sectors, which saw hotel, lodge and other tourism business licence fees reduced by 50 percent and capped at US$500 per business, describing it as a “welcome and timely intervention.”
“This policy measure reflects a deep understanding of the operational realities facing tourism players and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for growth and competitiveness within the sector.
“By easing the financial burden on operators, this initiative will not only stimulate investment in new tourism ventures but also strengthen existing ones, allowing businesses to focus more resources on product development, marketing, and enhancing visitor experiences,” he noted.
Mr Mandiwanzira said the tourism industry remains a key pillar of Zimbabwe’s economic transformation agenda. “This reduction in licence fees will directly boost the viability of local operators, particularly small and medium enterprises that form the backbone of the hospitality and travel ecosystem.
“As operators, we believe that the financial relief provided through this review should be prudently channeled towards revamping and upgrading facilities, improving service standards, and adopting modern technologies to meet global tourism trends,” he said.
He said by reinvesting this revenue back into their businesses, they will collectively elevate Zimbabwe’s tourism offering and position the country more competitively in regional and international markets.
“We therefore applaud the Government for this forward-thinking approach and reaffirm our commitment as industry players to work hand in hand with the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry to ensure that these policy gains translate into tangible growth and enhanced visitor satisfaction,” he said.
Bulawayo shop owner Ms Jessica Moyo also applauded Government’s measures to simplify licensing procedures, describing them as “a welcome and progressive step toward enhancing the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.”
“By removing the need for separate bottle store licences for those already operating validly licensed retail outlets, the Government has shown a commendable commitment to cutting red tape and encouraging enterprise growth.
“Likewise, the decision to issue a single licence for both retail and wholesale operations will undoubtedly streamline business administration, reduce costs, and improve efficiency for many operators,” she added.
However, Ms Moyo cautioned against abuse of the relaxed licensing regime.
“While these reforms are timely and positive, I wish to urge caution against the unchecked sprouting of bottle stores in every corner of our shopping centres. The intention of the policy is to promote legitimate business growth, not to turn every grocery outlet into a liquor hub.
“Responsible implementation and continued monitoring will be essential to ensure that our communities remain safe, orderly and family-friendly,” she said. She added that while the reforms deserve full support, it is also upon businesspeople to uphold discipline and ensure that convenience does not come at the expense of community wellbeing.
On Friday, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said the new measures are designed to simplify regulatory processes for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and formal businesses that operate under one roof with multiple lines such as bakeries, butcheries, restaurants, takeaways, and food factories.
Previously, some businesses were paying up to US$2 300 for a single food factory licence.
“As announced on the 10th of September 2025, the Government of Zimbabwe is continuing with Ease of Doing Business and Regulatory Fees Reforms for all sectors. To date, the Government has announced these reforms for the Livestock, Tourism and Transport Sectors, and is now moving on to the Wholesale and Retail Sectors,” said Prof Ncube.
He said the reforms will eliminate duplication and streamline approvals, particularly within the retail sector, one of Zimbabwe’s fastest-growing industries.
“The retail sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Zimbabwe and to further strengthen it, the Government has converged to remove the fragmentation of licences, consolidating several retail licences into one shop licence and reducing the number of authorities involved in the clearance process to one,” he said.
Under the new system, local authorities will apply a sliding-scale licence fee structure capped at US$500, allowing smaller businesses to pay less while promoting formalisation and growth of SMEs.
Among the major reforms bottle store licences are no longer required for bottle stores operating within licensed retail shops. Retail and wholesale licences will now be combined into a single licence for shops conducting both operations.
Factory and retail licences have been merged for integrated businesses operating from the same premises, reducing regulatory and compliance costs.
ZTA licence requirements for supermarkets have been scrapped, now applying only to tourist-designated businesses.
Prof Ncube added that the reforms also extend to other sectors.
“Hotel, lodges and other tourism business licence fees have been reviewed downwards by 50 percent under the review of the Tourism and Transport sectors and further capped to a maximum of US$500 per business,” he said.
To further reduce operational costs Prof Ncube said change of property use fees have been capped at US$1 000, down from as high as US$3 500 previously charged by some local authorities.
Effluent waste management fees have been cut from US$575 to US$200 annually.
PRAZ licence fees have been unified across categories into one licence costing between US$50 and US$120, allowing businesses to use one licence across all branches.
The Liquor Licensing Board has harmonised all liquor licence permits, removing distinctions between urban and rural jurisdictions.
The Local Authority Financial Services Licence will now be issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) as a single annual licence covering all business activities, for a flat fee of US$20, down from as much as US$1 867.
Additionally, the permit to sell veterinary products issued by the Medical Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has been abolished as it duplicated functions under the Department of Veterinary Services
Prof Ncube said the comprehensive reforms are aimed at stimulating enterprise growth, job creation, and productivity across all sectors.
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