AfDB forecasts Zimbabwe growth dip to 4% in 2026
The African Development Bank expects Zimbabwe’s economy to expand 4 percent in 2026 after reaching 6 percent growth this year. Agricultural recovery and mining gains drove the 2025 forecast, while currency instability and rising prices will slow momentum next year. The bank reported that inflation hit 55.7 percent last year and is expected to fall to 23.6 percent in 2025, before dropping to 9.6 percent in 2026.
The Treasury projects 6.6 percent growth for 2025 based on strong harvests and record gold prices that climbed more than 40 percent. The International Monetary Fund and World Bank forecast a 4.6 percent expansion in 2026 as foreign exchange pressures persist. Zimbabwe narrowed its budget shortfall to 1.2 percent of gross domestic product last year and aims for 0.9 percent this year.
The World Bank estimates total debt will reach 64.6 percent of output or 33.78 billion dollars in 2025. External obligations stood at 13.7 billion dollars while domestic borrowing totaled 8.8 billion dollars through June. The nation recorded 736.1 percent currency depreciation last year despite government claims of stability. Revenue collections are expected to reach 8 billion dollars this year, driven by aggressive tax enforcement campaigns.
