Zimbabwe’s surging Internet costs wreak havoc on small businesses

Data is too expensive for many Zimbabweans, hampering entrepreneurs and remote workers and causing a headache for students. — Photo by Anomaly on Unsplash

MUTARE, Zimbabwe: 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.