This week, Zimbabwe’s ICT Minister announced that WhatsApp group admins using their groups for business will have to apply for a license.
The application for a license is made to the Data Protection Authority, which for this law is the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz). The license fees to be paid depend on how many people’s data the WhatsApp admin has.
The different fees payable, from a minimum of US $50, are tiered depending on the number of people in the group. This information is in Statutory Instrument 155 of 2024: Cyber and Data Protection (Licensing of Data Controllers and Appointment of Data Protection Officers) Regulations, 2024.
Here are the fees that WhatsApp Admins and other people that collect and process people’s data in Zimbabwe will have to pay:
| Licence categories | Number of People | Annual Fees (USD) | Application Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | minimum of 50 or a maximum of 1,000 people | $50 | $0 |
| Tier 2 | minimum of 1,001 or a maximum of 100,000 people | $300 | $30 |
| Tier 3 | minimum of 100,001 or a maximum of 500,000 people | $500 | $30 |
| Tier 4 | more than 500,000 people | $2500 | $30 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The law right now says “personal, family or household affairs” are exempt from licensing.
Also exempt are law enforcement and journalistic, historical or archival purposes;
The law says you would have broken the law and can be jailed or mad e to pay a fine.
No. The licensing starts at 50 people or more.
No. The fees are not specifically for WhatsApp group admins, but for any data controller, including those who manage WhatsApp groups for business.
It’s not clear yet. The announcement today came as a shock to a lot of Zimbabweans, and many are wondering the same.
Yes, at the official exchange rate.
It’s already in effect. The Statutory Instrument was gazetted on 13 September and it gives business that process people’s data 6 months to comply. This means businesses have to get these licenses before 13 March 2025.
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