Despite contributing over 60% of Zimbabwe’s export earnings and approximately 12% to GDP, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has once again received disproportionately low funding in the 2026 national budget, raising serious concerns about the financial commitment to harnessing the mineral sector for economic transformation, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The 2026 National Budget, presented by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube, has allocated ZiG 789 million (approximately US$26.3 million) to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, representing a mere 1.05% of the total budget. This allocation comes despite the mining sector being poised for a strong rebound in 2026, with the Chamber of Mines projecting exports of up to US$6.5 billion.
The disparity in funding becomes stark when comparing the mining allocation to other ministries. The Ministry of Health received a colossal ZiG 47.4 billion (approximately US$1.58 billion), while Primary and Secondary Education was allocated ZiG 30.4 billion (approximately US$1.01 billion). These sectors are undoubtedly vital, but the scale of the difference is difficult to reconcile with mining’s role as the primary foreign exchange earner.
Even the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, tasked with critical road rehabilitation, was allocated ZiG 4.6 billion (approximately US$153.3 million). Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence, while important for national security, continues to command a significant portion of the budget, with the broader security sector receiving a staggering ZiG 46.8 billion (approximately US$1.56 billion).
Further scrutiny reveals allocations to ministries whose immediate economic impact is less tangible. The newly established Ministry of Skills Audit and Development was allocated ZiG 229 million (approximately US$7.63 million). While understanding the nation’s skills base is important, many question the necessity of a fully funded ministry for this task at a time when core economic engines may be in need of more resources.
Within its constrained budget, the Ministry of Mines must address multiple critical failures. The modernisation of the mining cadastre system remains underfunded, perpetuating delays and a lack of transparency in title management. The ministry also lacks sufficient vehicles for mine inspections, hampering efforts to enforce responsible mining practices and environmental regulations. Furthermore, inadequate survey capacity leads to bottlenecks in the release of mining titles, creating uncertainty.
Perhaps the most significant casualty of this underfunding is exploration. Zimbabwe’s geological potential is vastly under-explored, and the government has no capacity to fund a meaningful national exploration program. To properly identify new mineral deposits, the ministry requires funding to support the exploration of at least 100,000 hectares annually, a goal that is impossible with the current budget of US$26.3 million. This lack of exploration directly limits the pipeline of new mines and future investment, effectively mortgaging the country’s long-term economic prospects.
The consequences of underfunding the Ministry of Mines extend beyond bureaucratic inefficiencies. They directly translate into lost investment opportunities, reduced royalty collections from inadequate monitoring, and environmental damage from insufficient oversight.
As Zimbabwe pursues its Vision 2030, prioritising investment in the institutions that manage the country’s most valuable economic assets is not just prudent, it is essential. The government must align its budgetary allocations with its economic rhetoric. Increasing the mining ministry’s budget to a level commensurate with its contribution is a critical first step in signalling a genuine commitment to sustainable economic transformation.
