Zimbabwe Government Overhauls Mining Licences, Permits and Fees

The Government of Zimbabwe approved a broad overhaul of licences, permits and fees in the mining sector on 6 May 2026. AllAfrica reported that Acting Information Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu announced the reforms after a Cabinet meeting in Harare. The measures were presented by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and follow a 2025 Cabinet resolution to introduce business-friendly reforms across key sectors of the economy.

Under the new framework overlapping licences will be merged under a single regulatory authority. Some levies have been scrapped and others reduced. More than 80 percent of existing fees were found to be appropriate and will remain unchanged.

A tiered fee structure has been introduced with artisanal and small-scale miners expected to pay less than large mining companies. Registration fees for dealing in precious stones will fall from 15,000 dollars to 10,000 dollars payable every five years. Annual inspection fees for mining claims have been reduced.

A trading fee on mining locations has been scrapped. Export permit fees for exploration samples have dropped from 1,875 dollars to 500 dollars. Commissioning fees have been halved from 700 dollars to 350 dollars.

A new 100-dollar fee has been introduced for gold jewellery manufacturing licences. A new lower-cost charge has been introduced for applications to register lithium processing plants. Charges imposed by Rural District Councils will be capped at no more than half of their current levels with adjustments based on employment and production.

Mthuli Ncube said the reforms do not amount to new taxes. He said regulatory fees are paid before doing business whereas taxes are paid after economic activity. He added that taxes depend on profitability while fees apply regardless of whether a company makes a profit.

Cabinet noted ongoing reforms in the mining sector including a review of mining laws. Cabinet also noted the development of a new minerals policy and the rollout of a digital system to manage mining rights more transparently.