ZIMBABWE recorded a US$240,2 million trade surplus in December 2025, representing a 163,8% increase from November as the economy exported more than it imported, according to the latest data from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat).
The strong trade performance reflects rising mineral and agricultural exports, particularly gold, tobacco and nickel, underscoring the economy’s increasing reliance on external markets for growth amid constrained domestic demand and persistent import needs for fuel, machinery and food.
Cumulative export earnings from January to November 2025 rose to US$8,57 billion, up 27% from US$6,74 billion recorded over the same period in 2024, pointing to sustained momentum in the country’s export sector.
Presenting the external trade statistics for December 2025 in Harare yesterday, ZimStat director for micro-economics Mable Chimhore said the country closed the year with a markedly stronger export position.
“Zimbabwe’s goods trade balance for December 2025 was a surplus of US$240,2 million, a 163,8% increase from the November 2025 surplus of US$91,1 million,” she said.
Exports for the month amounted to US$1,142 billion, a 9,1% increase from US$1,046 billion recorded in November, largely driven by semi-manufactured gold, tobacco and nickel mattes.
Chimhore said the major exports to the Southern African Development Community in December were nickel mattes (72,5%), tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed or stripped (6,5%), nickel ores and concentrates (6,0%), and coke and semi-coke of coal (5,2%).
Meanwhile, imports stood at US$901,5 million, with mineral fuels, mineral oils and related products, machinery and mechanical appliances, cereals and vehicles dominating the import bill.
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“Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products, machinery and mechanical appliances, cereals and vehicles were among the top 10 imported products in December 2025,” Chimhore said.
“The products constituted 22,6%, 13,2%, 6,9% and 5,7% of the total import value of US$901,5 million, respectively.”
Zimbabwe’s major export destinations in December were the United Arab Emirates (49,9%), South Africa (21,6%) and China (17,3%), which together accounted for about 89% of total export earnings.
Exports to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa mainly comprised coke and semi-coke of coal, bituminous coal not agglomerated, and tobacco, while shipments to the European Union were dominated by tobacco (64,2%), ferro-chromium (13,0%) and chromium ores, concentrates and industrial diamonds (8,0% each).
Under the African Continental Free Trade Area, Zimbabwe’s key exports remained nickel mattes (72,2%), tobacco (6,8%), nickel ores and concentrates (6,0%), and coke and semi-coke of coal (5,2%).
