The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zimcodd), a civil society organisation, has welcomed the government’s tightening of raw lithium export regulations, saying the reforms could help Zimbabwe retain more value from its mineral resources. However, the organisation cautioned that the success of the policy will depend on effective execution of the framework, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The response comes after the government strengthened its initial February ban on raw lithium exports by introducing a broader framework of conditions aimed at pushing mining companies toward local beneficiation and in-country processing.
The new measures are intended to curb the export of unprocessed lithium while compelling mining companies to invest in local processing and beneficiation, enabling Zimbabwe to capture more revenue from one of its most strategic minerals and improve transparency in the sector.
In a statement, Zimcodd said:
“The government has issued a framework of conditions that mining companies must meet before the ban can be lifted. Zimcodd views these conditions as a necessary and long-overdue step towards cleaning up a sector historically characterised by opacity, elite capture, and the quiet export of national wealth.”
The framework sets out a series of compliance requirements for mining firms, including obligations to establish beneficiation facilities capable of separating all economic minerals before export, as well as plans to develop lithium sulphate plants by January 2027 and install internationally accredited laboratories alongside on-site assay facilities within three months.
It also requires the full declaration of all minerals in export consignments and the publication of annual financial statements from December 2025.
In addition, export quotas will now be allocated on a producer-by-producer basis to control volumes, while companies must commit to improving worker welfare standards.
Authorities have further indicated that any future lithium investments will be assessed on a case-by-case basis under the new regulatory framework.
However, Zimcodd warned that the success of the framework will depend on effective execution and oversight.
“However, conditions on paper are not the same as conditions on the ground. The true test lies in implementation, oversight, and whether the benefits finally reach ordinary Zimbabweans, especially the women, youth, and rural communities who live in the shadows of the mines,” the organisation said.
Zimcodd said this is where the real test lies, stressing that the new framework will only make a difference if it is properly enforced and backed by strong oversight. The organisation added that what matters now is whether the policy shifts from paper into practice, and whether Zimbabwe’s lithium wealth begins to deliver visible benefits beyond the mining sector and into the wider economy.
