Industry engages ZIMRA, CIPZ
CLOUDINE MATOLA
Industry leaders have engaged the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) over the recently introduced Payment After Assessment (PAA) system, warning that it is straining corporate balance sheets and disrupting production cycles, Business Times can report.
Launched on February 8, 2026, the PAA regime fundamentally altered Zimbabwe’s import payment framework by requiring duties and taxes to be settled only after customs entries have been formally assessed.
However, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) said the system has introduced significant liquidity constraints, with capital now locked up for longer periods during the assessment and clearance process.
“CZI engaged with ZIMRA and industry stakeholders on the implementation of the Payment After Assessment system, which has changed how import duties are processed and settled,” the business lobby group said. “Businesses highlighted several operational challenges during implementation. Cash flow pressures have increased as funds remain tied up during the assessment and clearance process. The requirement for multiple transactions per consignment has also increased administrative workloads and processing times. System integration challenges and delays in clearing goods were raised as key concerns, particularly for businesses reliant on timely imports for production. These issues have had a direct impact on operations, especially in sectors with tight production schedules.”
CZI added that sustained engagement would be required to refine the system and address bottlenecks affecting clearance timelines.
“Engagements with ZIMRA focused on improving system efficiency, streamlining processes, and addressing bottlenecks affecting clearance timelines. The discussions also emphasised the need for ongoing communication and adjustment as the system continues to be implemented,” it said.
In a parallel development, the Companies and Intellectual Property Office of Zimbabwe (CIPZ) has been forced to abandon plans for mandatory company re-registration under Statutory Instrument 108 of 2025, which had set an April 20, 2026 deadline, with non-compliant firms facing automatic deregistration.
CZI said businesses have also been hit by administrative hurdles in the compliance process, including missing historical records.
“Businesses reported difficulties in accessing or retrieving historical records, particularly annual returns, many of which could not be located despite repeated follow-ups,” CZI said. “This has forced some companies to begin time-consuming reconstruction processes to regularise their records. Capacity constraints among SMEs have also affected the ability to meet the requirements within the set timeframe.”
The lobby group has since requested an extension of the compliance deadline to allow firms additional time to complete the process. It also said preparations were underway for a webinar aimed at guiding businesses through the re-registration requirements and addressing implementation challenges.
