Forecasting effects of foreign direct investment on industrialization towards realization of the Tanzania development vision 2025

PurposeThis paper aims to deepen understanding and knowledge regarding the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the industrialization process. Many developing countries aspire to shift from agriculture-centric economies to achieve sustainable development through industrialization. Realizing this goal, however, has been challenging, prompting an examination of the sixty-year trends and effects of FDI on Tanzania’s industrialization trajectory.MethodologyThis study employs a comprehensive approach utilizing time series models, specifically the Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model and the Error Correction Model (ECM), to analyze the dynamic influence of FDI on industrialization. By forecasting the five-year trajectory of industrial growth and FDI inflows using data from the Bank of Tanzania and the National Bureau of Statistics spanning 1960 to 2020, this methodological framework aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the FDI-industrialization relationship, contributing valuable insights to the economic development discourse.FindingsThe study’s results highlight the significant role of FDI in shaping both short- and long-term industrial progress, which is critical to advancing Tanzania’s industrialization goals. Conversely, factors like exchange rates predominantly impact the short-term industrial landscape. Forecasts from the analysis indicate a projected decline in both FDI and industrialization from 2020 to 2022, followed by a notable upturn from 2022 to 2025. This underscores FDI as a key driver for integrating agriculture-based economies into global value chains, facilitating economic upgrading through capital accumulation—a fundamental catalyst for sustained industrialization.