Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

The Republic of Zimbabwe imported US$10.1 billion worth of products from international suppliers in 2025.

That dollar total reflects a 33.6% increase from $9.25 billion in imports 5 years earlier during 2021.

Year over year, the value of Zimbabwean imports expanded by 9.4% compared to $7.6 billion for 2024.

At the more detailed 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, Zimbabwe’s top 5 most valuable imported products are processed petroleum oils, corn, soya-bean oil, trucks and nitrogenous fertilizers. Added together, that quintet of major products approached one-third (29.9%) of overall Zimbabwean imports during 2025.

The latest available country-specific data shows that 88.4% of products imported into Zimbabwe was sold by exporters in: South Africa (37.6% of the Zimbabwean total), mainland China (16.1%), Bahamas (8%), Bahrain (7.4%), Mozambique (4.5%), Zambia (3.2%), United Arab Emirates (2.5%), India (2.2%), Mauritius (2.2%), Hong Kong (2%), Singapore (1.6%) and the United Kingdom (1.1%).

From a continental perspective, more than half (51.1%) of Zimbabwe’s total imports by value in 2025 was purchased from fellow African countries. Trade partners in Asia supplied 33.9% of Zimbabwe’s total imports while another 8.7% worth of goods originated from Latin America excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.

Smaller percentages came from Europe (4.9%), North America (1%), and Oceania (0.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Given Zimbabwe’s population of 17.4 million people, its total US$10.1 billion in 2025 imports translates to roughly $585 in yearly product demand from every person in the southern African nation. That dollar metric exceeds the average $560 in average per capita imports one year earlier in 2024.

Zimbabwe’s top 10 imports accounted for 70.4% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Imported animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes increased at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025 propelled by a 23.1% product category advance.

In second place were plastics, both as materials and including items made from plastic, via an 18.6% upturn, ahead of imported fertilizers (up 12.3%).

Year over year, percentage declining categories were for imported cereals (down -14.7% from 2024) and electrical machinery and equipment (down -2.5%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented below is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Among these import subcategories, Zimbabwean purchases of high-temperature distilled coal tar oils (up 264.4%), peat (up 78.3%) then petroleum gases (up 24.1%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related products among Zimbabwe’s businesses and consumers.

Among these import subcategories, Zimbabwean purchases of temperature-change machines (up 116.1%), heavy machinery such as bulldozers, excavators and road rollers (up 55.7%) then centrifuges, filters and purifiers (up 48.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Zimbabwe’s businesses and consumers.

Among these import subcategories, Zimbabwean purchases of sorghum grain (up 73.7%) and wheat (up 36.9%) grew from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported cereals among Zimbabwean businesses and consumers.

Among these import subcategories, Zimbabwean purchases of television receivers, monitors and projectors (up 44.4%), solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 36.3%) then electric storage batteries (up 29%) grew at the fastest pace from 2024 to 2025.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different product subcategories of imported electrical machinery and equipment among Zimbabwe’s businesses and consumers.
 

See also Zimbabwe’s Top 10 Exports, Top African Export Countries, Top South African Trading Partners, Nigeria’s Top 10 Exports and Kenya’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, Africa: Zimbabwe. Accessed on October 20, 2026

International Monetary Fund, Exchange Rates selected indicators (Domestic Currency per U.S. dollar, period average). Accessed on October 20, 2026

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on October 20, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on October 20, 2026

The World Factbook, Africa: Zimbabwe. Accessed on October 20, 2026

Wikipedia, Zimbabwe. Accessed on October 20, 2026