The Economy of Zimbabwe
The Informal Economy and Mobile Money
Most Zimbabweans work informally, and mobile money services like EcoCash became the main way to pay.
Survival and innovation.
Size
Estimates suggest that most of the economy is informal.
EcoCash
Mobile money became a crucial payment system during cash shortages.
Traders
Cross-border traders bring goods from South Africa and Zambia.
Remittances
Zimbabweans abroad send money home, especially from South Africa and the UK.
A mobile wallet
Shoppers pay at small stores using a phone instead of cash.
Ignoring the informal economy in official statistics
It is a huge part of livelihoods.
Key takeaways
- Most work is informal.
- EcoCash is widely used.
- Cross-border trade is important.
- Remittances support households.
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