Zimbabwe’s mining and agriculture drive economic revival and climate‑finance push

Business Insider Africa’s 2026 Best Countries ranking listed Zimbabwe among the continent’s top‑performing economies, citing rapid growth in mining and agriculture. Exports of gold, lithium, platinum and increased maize and wheat output have boosted foreign‑currency earnings, while reforms introduced since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took office in 2017 – including infrastructure investment, fiscal stability and a shift to a largely dollarised system – are credited with stabilising the economy.

The government has also pursued a green transition, offering tax exemptions and reduced import duties for renewable‑energy equipment and electric vehicles, and establishing the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange to attract foreign capital. Zimbabwe’s banking sector now follows a Climate Risk Management Guideline that obliges lenders to assess and disclose climate exposures, and micro‑finance institutions are expanding green‑loan products for solar and irrigation projects. These measures aim to deepen investor confidence and position Zimbabwe as a climate‑resilient growth hub in Africa.