The Interception of Communications Act provides wide-ranging powers to state security agencies to have access to personal data. Section 5 mandates that intelligence, defence, police, and prison services request warrants of interception from the executive in charge of postal and telecommunication services. Section 9 of the Interception of Communications Act instructs ISPs to install necessary surveillance technologies and intercept any content that the state may deem fit. In addition, Section 9 obliges data services providers and processors to cooperate with the state in enabling data access. To this end, data processors are instructed to capture full personal information, regularly update it, and use technologies that can be intercepted.
It is reported that warrants allowing the monitoring and interception of communications are issued by the Minister of Information at their discretion. Consequently, there is no adequate judicial oversight or other independent safeguard against abuse, and the extent and frequency of monitoring remains unknown.

Section 11 of the Interception of Communications Act allows security and law enforcement agencies to impose disclosure requirements in respect of encrypted information where they believe that a key to encrypted information is in the possession of that person and that a disclosure requirement is necessary in the interests of national security, to prevent or detect a serious criminal offence, or in the interests of the country’s economic well being. Failure to comply is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Zimbabwe has no rules applicable to the protection of trade secrets.

It is reported that there is an obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in Zimbabwe to deliver telecom services to end users. It is practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.

Zimbabwe is not a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), nor does it have observer status.

According to Art. 7.1 of the Broadcasting Services Act, no person shall provide a broadcasting service or operate as a signal carrier in Zimbabwe except in accordance with a broadcasting licence or a signal carrier licence. A broadcasting licence shall authorise the licensee to provide several classes of broadcasting services, including narrowcasting, datacasting, and webcasting (Art. 7.2). However, pursuant to Art. 8.1, a broadcasting licence shall be issued only to individuals who are citizens of Zimbabwe or to a corporate body in which a controlling interest is held, whether through any individual, company association or otherwise, by one or more individuals who are citizens of Zimbabwe.

According to Section 36 of the Postal and Telecommunications Act, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority issues telecommunications licenses only to legal entities in which Zimbabwean citizens hold a "controlling interest", directly or indirectly. However, a license may be issued to a legal entity without such a majority shareholding, provided that within a period set out in the license, one or more such persons acquire a majority shareholding. As established in the same article, a "controlling interest" in a legal entity means that any of the following conditions are met: holding a majority of the shares of the entity; the shares represent more than 50% of the share capital of the entity; the shares are worth more than 50% of the share capital of the entity; or the shares give their holders a majority or a preponderance of votes in the affairs of the entity.

Zimbabwe screens FDI through the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) in liaison with relevant line ministries to confirm compliance with the country’s laws. Section 3 of Act No. 10/2019 establishes the ZIDA as a legal person. The government created the ZIDA to oversee the licensing and implementation of investment projects in the country. Part V of Act No. 10/2019 provides investors with the ability to obtain investment licences. ZIDA has established a one-stop investment services centre (OSISC, section 5 of the Act), which houses several agencies that play a role in the licensing, establishment, and implementation of investment projects.

Zimbabwe is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Zimbabwe has a clear regime of copyright exceptions that follows the fair dealing model, which enables the lawful use of copyrighted work by others without obtaining permission. Part III of the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act lists the exceptions, which include the use with purposes of research or private study, educational use of copyright material, criticism, review, or news reporting, among others.

It is reported that copyright is not adequately enforced online in Zimbabwe. Pirating of books, videos, music, and computer software is reported to be common in the country.

Zimbabwe has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Zimbabwe has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Zimbabwe is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).