Zimbabwe’s surging internet costs wreak havoc on small businesses

When a sharp hike in Zimbabwe’s internet costs drove Joyce Kapvumfuti’s small catering enterprise offline for a week, orders for her wedding cakes, business lunches and frosted cupcakes collapsed.

“I used to get at least five customers a week when advertising and marketing online, but when I don’t have internet data, I’ll be lucky if I manage to get two,” Kapvumfuti said at her home in the eastern city of Mutare.

As a result, she said she spends much of her modest earnings on data, meaning she is struggling to cover other basic expenses such as rent and food for her two children.

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