Census and Statistics (Economic Census Period 2024–2026) Notice, 2024
Zimbabwe's Economic Census runs from 1 July 2024 to 31 October 2026; every business owner or manager must supply turnover, employment and cost data to ZIMSTAT on demand, or face a level 6 fine or up to a year in jail.
The Minister of Finance has fixed 1 July 2024 to 31 October 2026 as the period for taking the Economic Census. It runs in four phases, each collecting different information.
The census mapping period runs from midnight on 1 July 2024 to 31 October 2024 and collects only identifying details: registered name, trading name, address and ownership of each establishment. The census listing period runs from midnight on 1 August 2024 to 31 December 2024 and goes further — registration status, type of ownership, type of economic activity, turnover, number of employees by sex, and capacity utilisation. The input-output survey period runs from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025 and collects the value and sources of inputs, value of outputs, imports, exports and intermediate inputs.
The main data collection over the full census period is the heavy one. It covers turnover, employee numbers, salaries and wages, income broken down by main and secondary activities, resale goods, land rent, rental income from dwellings, vehicles and machinery, and any other income. On the cost side it covers raw materials, fuels and electricity, coke, coal, firewood, charcoal and gas, water and sewerage, rentals paid for land, transport, machinery and buildings, maintenance and repairs of vehicles, computers, furniture and buildings, taxes paid, subsidies received, inventories and capital expenditure. ZIMSTAT may also require other particulars.
Data is collected three ways: face-to-face interviews using a tablet, weekly record books that establishments complete, and an online questionnaire on the ZIMSTAT website for large corporates. Large firms should expect to file themselves rather than wait for an enumerator.
The duty falls on the owner, manager or person in charge of the establishment: they must ensure the required information is supplied, and must supply particulars whenever an authorised officer asks. Failure is an offence carrying a fine not exceeding level 6, or imprisonment up to one year, or both.
There is also a duty to come forward. If no information has been collected from your establishment by 31 October 2026, the owner or manager must report that fact to an authorised officer immediately and supply any particulars demanded. Silence is not a defence.
What changed
- 1 July 2024 to 31 October 2026 is fixed as the Economic Census period
- Census mapping runs 1 July to 31 October 2024, collecting establishment name, address and ownership
- Census listing runs 1 August to 31 December 2024, adding registration status, activity, turnover, employees by sex and capacity utilisation
- The input-output survey runs 1 January to 31 March 2025, collecting input and output values, imports and exports
- Owners and managers must supply detailed income, expenditure, wage, inventory and capital expenditure data on demand
- Non-compliance carries a fine not exceeding level 6, up to one year's imprisonment, or both
- Any establishment not yet enumerated by 31 October 2026 must report that fact to an authorised officer
Who this affects
- owners and managers of every business establishment in Zimbabwe
- large corporates required to file online with ZIMSTAT
- informal and unregistered traders operating establishments
- finance and accounting staff compiling turnover and cost data
- ZIMSTAT enumerators and authorised officers
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.