We aimed to evaluate if the HLA-G 14-bp polymorphism (rs16375) has an impact on HIV progression and survival in an antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve Zimbabwean cohort (n=312). Rs16375 was genotyped using a competitive allele-specific PCR system; CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA were measured by flow cytometry and commercially available PCR; survival was followed for 4.3 years. The homozygous HLA-G -14-bp genotype is associated with higher viral load (P=0.004), lower CD4 cell count (P=0.01), and increased mortality (hazard ratio=1.9, CI: 1.033-3.522; P=0.04) compared with HLA-G +14-bp carriers.