Zimbabwe ends cement import licences

The Zimbabwean government has ended the issuance of cement imports. The licences were first introduced in October 2023 to help curb the artificial shortage of cement as prices spiralled out of control, reports The Chronicle. With the price of a 50kg bag of cement jumping from US$9 to US$20, the country’s largest infrastructure projects were in danger of significant delays.

To address the issue, the government allowed companies and individuals to import up to 5t of cement without the need for an import licence. Quantities above 5t required an import licence from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. However, the licences did not apply to commercial imports. 

During the term of the licences, 971 were issued with 337,776t of cement reportedly imported, of which 218,000t passed through the country’s borders. As Zimbabwe’s domestic cement producers are now manufacturing sufficient cement to meet demand, the issuing of import licences has been discontinued.

Monthly cement production in Zimbabwe stands at around 160,500t. It is hoped that this latest move will help boost demand for local cement going forward.