Zimbabwe Scraps 75% Local Ownership Requirement for Telecom Operators

The Government of Zimbabwe has repealed regulations that required telecommunications licensees to maintain at least 75% local ownership, reversing the policy just weeks after it was introduced. The repeal was formalised through Statutory Instrument (SI) 111 of 2026, signed by the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, effectively scrapping the ownership requirements contained in SI 101 of 2026.

The original regulations, gazetted on 12 June 2026, had stipulated that all holders of telecommunications licences issued under the country’s communications laws must maintain a minimum of 75% indigenous Zimbabwean ownership. The rules also required existing licensees that did not meet the threshold to submit compliance plans to the regulator within 30 days and achieve full compliance within two years.

The abrupt policy reversal removes the mandatory local ownership requirement before it could be fully implemented, providing relief to foreign investors and multinational telecommunications operators with interests in Zimbabwe’s communications sector. The move is expected to ease concerns about investment restrictions and improve the country’s attractiveness as a destination for capital in the ICT industry.

The government has not publicly outlined detailed reasons for withdrawing the regulations, but the repeal comes amid concerns from industry stakeholders that the ownership requirements could discourage foreign direct investment and complicate efforts to expand telecommunications infrastructure and digital services.

The repeal marks a significant shift in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications policy, restoring greater flexibility for local and international investors while signalling the government’s willingness to review regulations that could affect investment and growth in the country’s digital economy.