Mnangagwa: 2026 Economic Forecast 'Highly Optimist

Economic projections for this year "are very positive," driven by strong performances expected in the mining, agricultural, and manufacturing sectors, President Mnangagwa has said. In an interview aired on ZBC News, the President said the agricultural sector had been buoyed by a good season as most parts of the country were receiving rains, leaving crops at various stages of growth. "The outlook this year, of the season, is very good. The rainy season is very good and the cropping across the country is very good," said President Mnangagwa. "I am not receiving any complaints across the board from all the provinces. I think we are going to have a bumper harvest this year, and it is very good for everybody. That is the basic thing which we need as a country, self-sufficiency in terms of food provision."

President Mnangagwa said the economic projections for the country were positive in sectors such as mining, agriculture, and industry. "Indicators are that we are going to do better than the previous year because the fundamentals are all positive," he said. "Let's look at agriculture. So far, the rains are good. Let's look at the industry, mining. We have no strikes. The industry, mining sectors; no strikes. People are going to work."

Gold production rose by 17 percent last year to reach an all-time high of 46.7 tonnes, up from 36.48 tonnes in 2024. This year, the gold sector is targeting a haul of 60 tonnes. The manufacturing sector has been on a strong rebound since 2018, driven by a conducive investment climate introduced by the Second Republic led by President Mnangagwa.