By Rex Mphisa
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority says it will improve revenue mobilisation, expand its tax base and improve the ease of doing business as well as enhance trade facilitation as it renews itself towards Vision 2030 under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
ZIMRA, the country’s main revenue collector, said this approach will transition from National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) foundations already in place.
Those NDS1 foundations will ease the organisation’s acceleration to NDS2 running from 2026 to 2030 as Zimbabwe’s second five-year, medium-term plan, launched on November 27, 2025.
NDS2 seeks to transform the country to an which countries in the world are upper-middle-income society by 2030.
A significant number of countries are classified by the World Bank as upper-middle-income ($4,466 to $13,845 GNI per capita) or are actively gunning for this status through national development plans.
Current upper-middle-income nations include Brazil, China, South Africa, Mexico, Turkey, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
ZIMRA says its firm foundations for institutional renewal by modernisation, digitalisation of core systems, strengthened governance frameworks and enhanced stakeholder engagement, will evolved its role of revenue mobilisation to support economic development.
ZIMRA Board chairman Anthony Mandiwanza in his presentation of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s Strategic Plan for the period 2026–2030 said:
“This strategy is both a reflection of how far the Authority has travelled and a declaration of intent for the road ahead, as Zimbabwe advances resolutely towards the aspirations of Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).”
“Over the past strategic cycle, ZIMRA has laid firm foundations for institutional renewal. Through sustained modernisation, digitalisation of core systems, strengthened governance frameworks and enhanced stakeholder engagement, the Authority has evolved its role of revenue mobilisation to support economic development and NDS2.”
The gains, he said, realised in a complex and dynamic operating environment, affirm ZIMRA’s central role in supporting economic stability and advancing national development.
He said building on that momentum the 2026–2030 Strategy articulates a bold yet pragmatic agenda anchored on two mandate pillars namely Revenue Mobilisation and Tax Base Expansion, and Ease of Doing Business and Trade Facilitation.
“These are underpinned by two enabling pillars; Digital Transformation and Innovation, and Human Capital Excellence and People Transformation and firmly sustained by robust Governance and Risk Management. Together, these pillars define a holistic approach that balances revenue imperatives with service excellence, integrity, and economic competitiveness.”
Mandiwanza said the thrust of the new strategy is intentionally forward-looking and ZIMRA will intensify efforts to broaden the tax base inclusively, strengthen compliance through data-driven intelligence and decisively plug revenue leakages.
Simultaneously, the Authority will lower the cost of compliance by streamlining processes, embracing intelligent automation and facilitating seamless trade in line with regional and continental frameworks, including the African Continental Free Trade Area. At the heart of this transformation lies an unwavering commitment to integrity.
“Corruption, system manipulation and unethical conduct will find no refuge within ZIMRA. The aim is to transform ZIMRA into a modern, transparent, service oriented and people centred revenue authority: digitally agile, professionally empowered, trusted by taxpayers and respected by regional and international peers,” said Mandiwanza.
ZIMRA will, above all, remain steadfast in its mandate to mobilise sustainable domestic resources in support of Zimbabwe’s economic resilience, social development and shared prosperity, he said.
“This strategy is a collective covenant between the Authority, Government, taxpayers and stakeholders to build a revenue administration that not only collects revenue, but inspires confidence, fairness and national pride.”
In support of the 2026 – 2030 guidelines ZIMRA Commissioner General Regina Chinamasa said the Strategic Plan sets out the framework through which the ZIMRA will plan, sequence and execute its statutory responsibilities over the 2026–2030 period.
She said it translates institutional priorities into a structured programme of action, providing clarity on delivery pathways, performance oversight and accountability.
“Implementation is articulated through clearly defined milestones, clustered across the respective years of the planning horizon. These milestones provide a disciplined basis for monitoring progress, enabling systematic tracking and oversight at Board and Board Committee level and supporting timely intervention where corrective action is required,” she said.
“The Strategy is underpinned by scenario-based evaluations undertaken to assess the anticipated impact of proposed interventions on revenue mobilisation and trade facilitation. These assessments have informed the selection and calibration of strategic initiatives and provide assurance that, under prevailing and alternative conditions, the Strategy can deliver the scale and trajectory of revenue performance required to support Government’s economic aspirations.”
ZIMRA in developing the Strategy, undertook structured engagements with key stakeholders, whose expectations and perspectives informed both the strategic direction and the design of implementation mechanisms, said Chinamasa.
“The resulting Plan reflects a deliberate commitment to institutional improvement, responsiveness and continuous refinement of service delivery and operational effectiveness. Together, these elements provide a coherent and actionable framework that supports disciplined execution, robust oversight and sustained institutional performance throughout the 2026–2030 period.”
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Strategic Plan 2026 – 2030 articulates a clear and results oriented pathway for strengthening domestic resource mobilisation and facilitating trade in support of Zimbabwe’s economic transformation agenda and Vision 2030, she said.
Building on the institutional foundations established in the previous strategic cycle, this Plan shifts the Authority’s focus decisively towards performance realisation, converting strengthened systems, governance frameworks, and digital capabilities into measurable delivery outcomes.
“Anchored on the twin mandate pillars of Revenue Mobilisation and Tax Base Expansion, and Ease of Doing Business and Trade Facilitation, the Strategy seeks to broaden the tax base, enhance compliance through intelligence-led approaches, curb revenue leakages and streamline customs and tax processes to reduce the cost of compliance and improve predictability for business.”
Over the five-year horizon, ZIMRA will leverage digital transformation, advanced data analytics and smart border technologies to modernise revenue administration while cultivating a high-performing, ethical and future-ready workforce, she said.
The Strategy targets sustained revenue growth, a progressive increase in the tax-to-GDP ratio, accelerated clearance and turnaround times at ports of entry, improved client satisfaction and stronger institutional governance supported by integrated risk management frameworks.
Collectively, these outcomes position ZIMRA as a modern, transparent, and service-oriented revenue authority, one that strengthens fiscal stability, enhances taxpayer confidence and contributes meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s long-term economic resilience and shared prosperity, Chinamasa said.