Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Mthuli Ncube has stated that a significant number of Zimbabweans have now reached what he termed “middle-income status,” pointing to an average daily spending figure of US$9 per person as evidence of improved living standards. Pindula News+1
Addressing delegates at the 2026 Pre-Budget Seminar in Bulawayo, the Minister said that the country is firmly on course towards the goals of its Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which targets Zimbabwe becoming an upper middle-income economy. NewsdzeZimbabwe+1
According to Ncube:
“So the minimum GNI per capita should be US$4,500 per person, and this is an annual figure. That means that you ought to be able to spend on any given day no less than US$12 per person. Currently, on average, with the GNI per capita of US$3,300, that implies that we are spending US$9 per day. So if you are able to spend nine dollars per day, consistently through the year, you are already middle income.”
He noted that during the NDS1 period (2021-2025) the economy is projected to grow at an average rate of around 5.6% of GDP, with expectations for growth of up to 6.6% this year. He described this trajectory as aligning with government projections and serving as a foundation for elevating the country’s income status.
The Minister linked the improved daily spending figure and economic performance to increased investment in infrastructure—particularly roads, dams and the energy sector—and stronger private sector participation. He said these developments are beginning to translate into improved purchasing power and consumption across the population.
While the announcement was optimistic, some external analysts have questioned the claim. A fact-check published by ZimbabweNow noted that Zimbabwe’s official Gross National Income (GNI) per capita is significantly lower than the figure used by the Minister and that many households’ actual daily spending is well below US$9 per person.
Nevertheless, the government’s position remains that the US$9/day figure signals a transition from lower-income to middle-income status, and that with continued growth reflected in infrastructure investment and private sector engagement, Zimbabwe is steadily moving toward upper middle-income classification by 2030.
