Mthuli Ncube

Mthuli Ncube is Zimbabwe's Minister of Finance and Economic Development, a position he has held since 2018. He is Zimbabwean by nationality and holds a doctorate in mathematical finance from the University of Cambridge. Before entering government, he built an academic and financial career, including a role as chief economist and vice-president of the African Development Bank, and served as dean of a business school in South Africa. His domain of influence spans fiscal policy, currency reform and debt restructuring in Zimbabwe, a country that has struggled with hyperinflation, currency instability and international arrears. Ncube has been central to efforts to stabilise Zimbabwe's currency, including the introduction of new currency arrangements, and to negotiations around the country's mining and critical minerals policy, including measures affecting the lithium and platinum sectors. He recurs in coverage owing to his role in shaping Zimbabwe's economic and mining policy responses to global demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and platinum-group metals, and in engagements with international lenders and investors. He has also been involved in Zimbabwe's arrears clearance and re-engagement process with international financial institutions. His earlier career included private-sector consulting and investment banking roles across Africa. Ncube's tenure has been marked by debate over Zimbabwe's economic reform trajectory amid persistent inflationary pressure.