Statistics Vital for Evidence-Based Policy Formulation—ZimStats

By Shingirai Vambe

BULAWAYO—The upcoming 2025 Economic Census is expected to provide critical data to assess whether Zimbabwe’s economy is as highly informalized as commonly portrayed, an official from ZimStats has said.

 This census, the first of its kind, will offer a detailed study of all economic activities in the country, providing essential insights for policymakers and stakeholders.

The inaugural Economic Census will take place every five years, starting in 2025, with the goal of tracking changes in economic activities over time. This comprehensive data collection will enable the government, private sector, academia, and other stakeholders to better understand the country’s economic landscape and make informed decisions.

The census is scheduled to begin in January 2025 and run until the end of 2026. Preparations, such as mapping business locations, will commence in 2024. Preliminary results are expected by the end of the first quarter of 2027, with final results released by the second quarter.

Speaking during the training of enumerators for the Economic Census Listing Exercise, ZimStats Acting Director-General Fadzai Ndlovu emphasized the importance of the census in providing concrete evidence about the state of Zimbabwe’s economy.

“We often say that our economy is highly informal, but we don’t have sufficient evidence to back this claim. The Economic Census will help us gather the necessary data to determine the true extent of informality in Zimbabwe’s economy,” Ndlovu explained.

She added that the census would also offer a comprehensive view of the sectors in which the economy is operating.

“The census will allow us to identify the various sectors driving the economy and understand their contributions in detail,” she said.

Ndlovu further explained that the agency had completed the mapping exercise, dividing the country into smaller working areas known as Business Enumeration Areas (BEA). The next step is the listing exercise, which involves identifying and categorizing businesses within these BEAs.

“We have just concluded the mapping process and are now beginning the training of enumerators for the listing exercise. The listers will document the type of businesses, their locations, and the sectors in which they operate,” she said.

The listing process is crucial for determining the workload in each BEA, as well as for capturing information about businesses, whether formal or informal.

“Our enumeration will include every business, regardless of its registration status. Once the census is complete, we’ll be able to quantify the proportion of the economy that is formal and informal,” Ndlovu noted.

To carry out this large-scale exercise, ZimStats has recruited unemployed graduates, giving them both financial support and valuable work experience over the two-year period.

“This census is a long-term project, and we’ve chosen to involve recent graduates who are currently unemployed. This will empower them by providing professional experience and financial support,” she explained.

Ndlovu urged the business community to cooperate with enumerators during the data collection process, stressing that the information gathered would be vital for evidence-based policy formulation and decision-making.

“We appeal to business owners in all sectors to assist our enumerators when they visit. The data collected will inform key policies aimed at improving the economic conditions of Zimbabwe,” she said.

Earlier this year, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube highlighted the significance of the Economic Census.

He stated that the survey would produce comprehensive baseline statistics on the size and structure of the economy, which are critical for evidence-based policymaking, strategic planning, and GDP compilation.

The 2025 Economic Census is poised to become a vital tool for understanding and shaping the future of Zimbabwe’s economy.