Zimbabwe’s latest empowerment framework, the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment (Foreign Participation in Reserved Sectors) Regulations, 2025 (Statutory Instrument (SI)215 of 2025), will come under focused review at a high-level industry forum scheduled for the 5th of March 2026.
The executive breakfast meeting, to be convened by the Indigenous Advisory Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe (IAPAZ), will take place at the Rainbow Towers Hotel in Harare and is expected to bring together senior government officials, regulators, investors and professional advisors to interrogate the operational implications of the new regulations.
Correspondence between the organisers and government confirms that the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, has accepted an invitation to attend as Guest of Honour. In a letter dated 16 February 2026, the Ministry advised IAPAZ to proceed with arrangements and submit the final programme to the Minister’s office.
Gazetted in 2025, SI 215 introduces revised thresholds governing foreign participation in sectors reserved under Zimbabwe’s indigenisation framework. It further prescribes divestment timelines and compliance obligations, signalling a recalibration of empowerment policy within the broader investment landscape.
IAPAZ Secretary General Last Matema said the forum seeks to promote what he termed “effective, coordinated and investment-sensitive implementation” of the instrument.
“There is a need for an organised, high-level platform to clarify policy intent and practical implementation expectations,” Matema said.
“Constructive dialogue between regulators and market participants is essential to safeguarding investor confidence while advancing national empowerment objectives.”
The programme will feature a keynote address by the Minister, followed by moderated panel discussions and technical “regulatory clinics” designed to provide practical guidance on compliance frameworks, investment structuring and localisation models under the new rules.
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Organisers say the regulations present a dual dimension of obligation and opportunity. While businesses must align with new compliance requirements, the framework is also viewed as opening avenues for local equity participation, strategic joint ventures, technology transfer and value-chain expansion.
Participation is expected from Government departments, regulatory authorities, financial institutions, foreign and domestic investors, as well as advisory firms in accounting, law, tax and corporate finance.
The forum comes amid heightened interest from both local and international investors seeking clarity on the operational mechanics of the revised empowerment regime. Stakeholders anticipate that deliberations could contribute to a more predictable compliance environment and the development of structured, policy-aligned empowerment models.
