Zimra planning to use AI to improve revenue collection: All you need to know

Ever since the modern day AI got on the scene, it has been impacting almost every aspect of our lives and in business, from finance to the health sector. Some companies have even gone as far as replacing some jobs with AI in a frightening reality check of the future awaiting humanity of a world run by AI. In the latest series of AI driven events, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) is adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in its new five-year strategy to transform tax administration, integrate the informal sector and raise the country’s tax-to-GDP [gross domestic product] ratio to US$11,5 billion by 2030. Here is all you need to know.

How Zimra works has always been a mystery to the normal folk with it’s system already a difficult puzzle to understand, but adding AI to the mix will surely come with it’s negatives but as usual a product is judged on how much the positives outweigh the negatives to determine if it is a success. 

 from it’s perspective, is seeking to raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to 22% by 2030 or US$11,5 billion, hence the taxman is already pursuing an aggressive tax collection campaign using AI. Right now the details of how exactly they wish to accomplish this are somehow still unknown.

Last month, the government revised the economic growth rate upwards by 0,6 percentage points to 6,6% for the year, translating the GDP at current market prices to US$52,3 billion.

The new AI powered strategy, which will guide the authority from 2026 to 2030, was unveiled during a high-level strategic planning meeting held recently in Mutare.

“The chairman (Antony Mandiwanza) described AI as a paradigm shift that will transform Zimra’s operations,” Zimra said in a Press statement.

“AI will enable real-time monitoring, detect risks, simplify compliance, reduce business costs and improve transparency, while strengthening the workforce through enhanced decision-making and digital skills development.”

The authority’s new direction builds on a digital foundation, with AI expected to transform revenue collection, enhance efficiency and promote compliance across all economic sectors.

Mandiwanza said the technology would redefine how Zimra monitors and enforces compliance.

“This is more than an upgrade. It will position Zimra as a leader in digital tax administration on the continent,” he said.

Through AI-driven analytics, Zimra expects to improve its ability to identify non-compliance patterns, forecast risks and strengthen decision-making.

AI is a key focus area in expanding the tax base by integrating Zimbabwe’s vast informal sector, which accounts for over three-quarters of the economy, 76,1%, according to national statistics.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has previously revealed that the informal sector generates over US$14 billion in annual revenue, with US$2,5 billion worth of cash in circulation at any given time.

“With the national target to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio from 14,5% in 2025 to 22% by 2030, Zimra must rethink domestic resource mobilisation,” Mandiwanza said.

He called for a holistic approach to taxation that supports economic growth, fairness and compliance, ensuring all taxpayers contribute to building a stronger Zimbabwe.

“Together, government, taxpayers, business and development partners, we must shape a Zimra that is modern, formidable, AI-drive, and faithful to the people it serves.”

The full cost of implementing AI or which giants will be roped in to power this project is still unknown but it will be an interesting topic of discussion to see how Zimra plans on utilizing these AI tools and from a security standpoint point, would it be ok to let AI models have access to such kind of data some of it very sensitive. We will have to wait and see.

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