Zimbabwe just banned all foreign nationals from its artisanal mining sector. The new rules, under Statutory Instrument 215 of 2025, make small-scale mining exclusive to local citizens. Authorities can now investigate foreigners suspected of using local proxies.
Existing foreign-owned businesses in seventeen reserved sectors, including bakeries and salons, have a three-year deadline. They must sell seventy-five percent of their equity to Zimbabwean nationals by late 2028. They have to divest a quarter of their shares annually or face shutdown.
A narrow, expensive exception exists for major investors in a few areas. Foreign entry into retail now requires a minimum of twenty million dollars in investment and two hundred local employees. The haulage industry demands ten million dollars and one hundred jobs. Large-scale mining and banking remain fully open to foreign control. Online reactions questioned who could afford to buy the divested shares and noted potential diplomatic tensions with neighboring countries.
Existing foreign-owned businesses in seventeen reserved sectors, including bakeries and salons, have a three-year deadline. They must sell seventy-five percent of their equity to Zimbabwean nationals by late 2028. They have to divest a quarter of their shares annually or face shutdown.
A narrow, expensive exception exists for major investors in a few areas. Foreign entry into retail now requires a minimum of twenty million dollars in investment and two hundred local employees. The haulage industry demands ten million dollars and one hundred jobs. Large-scale mining and banking remain fully open to foreign control. Online reactions questioned who could afford to buy the divested shares and noted potential diplomatic tensions with neighboring countries.
