Tanzania Economic Updates: Tanzania's Investment Development and Economic Landscape

Inflation Rate:

• Tanzania maintains a stable inflation rate at 3.3 percent, with a minor 0.4 percent decrease in the past month.
• Across various sectors, inflation rates vary, with food, alcoholic beverages, housing, and healthcare exhibiting different short-term and long-term trends.
• In contrast, neighboring countries show varying inflation rates, with Zimbabwe experiencing hyperinflation, while Seychelles faces negative inflation.

GDP Growth Rate:

• Tanzania's GDP growth rate stands strong at 5.6 percent, signaling a consistent upward trend.
• When compared to previous years, there is a steady increase from 5.5 percent in 2022 and 5 percent in 2021.
• Key contributing sectors to this growth include agriculture, construction, mining, trade, manufacturing, finance, and insurance.

Money Supply:

• Money circulation decreased by 0.02 percent in a month but rose by 0.05 percent over a year.
• The central bank actively reduced money in circulation by 4.07 percent in one month, leading to a 7.5 percent increase within a year.
• Net foreign assets increased by 1.3 percent in a month but declined by 9.67 percent in a year.
• Net domestic assets showed slight increases of 0.12 percent in a month and 0.24 percent in a year.

Export Rate:

• Tanzania has witnessed a substantial 86 percent increase in exports over two years, with a 5 percent increase in the past year.
• This export growth is credited to various sectors, including gold, manufactured goods, traditional exports, and industrial transport equipment.
• However, horticultural and cereal exports have experienced declines of 23 percent and 65 percent, respectively, within a year.

Import Rate:

• Import rates have shown significant fluctuations, with a 116 percent increase in a month and a staggering 1209 percent increase in a year.
• Import trends vary across categories, with consumer goods, machinery, industrial transport equipment, and other goods undergoing different short-term and long-term changes.
• Notably, insecticides, rodenticides, and similar products saw a significant 93 percent decrease within a year.

Investment Development:

• An extensive analysis of investment projects in Tanzania highlights the sectors of focus, their investment levels, and their expected contributions to job creation.
• As of August 2023, there are 58 planned projects with an estimated total value exceeding USD 931 million.
• These projects are expected to generate more than 25,731 jobs, making a significant impact on local and regional economic growth.
• Job creation is particularly prominent in the transportation and agriculture sectors, with the latter expected to create 20,613 job positions.
• In addition to ongoing projects, there are 22 upcoming projects worth USD 64 million, set to create over 1,094 job opportunities.

Investment Regions:

• Tanzania has implemented 58 projects across 18 regions, with Dar es Salaam, the coastal region, and Dodoma being notable contributors.
• Surprisingly, Morogoro and Kagera, each with only two projects, are poised to create an impressive 10,120 jobs.
• Despite its 22 projects not primarily focused on employment, Dar es Salaam is expected to contribute more than 1778 jobs.
• The coastal region stands out with projects valued at USD 307 million, followed by Kagera and Dar es Salaam.
• The number of project announcements is on the rise, but questions arise about their impact on economic growth.

Budget Analysis:

• A review of the government's budget until August 2023 reveals that there was no deficit in 24 percent of cases.
• Expenditures have decreased by over 11 percent compared to the estimated budget, while income has declined by more than 8 percent.
• Key expenditure areas like wages and salaries, interest costs, and development expenditure have experienced fluctuations.
• Revenue sources, including import taxes and income tax, have declined significantly, while local goods and services taxes have seen a substantial increase.

National Debts:

• Tanzania's total government debt has exceeded USD 43,287 million, increasing by 14 percent over a year and 1 percent within a month.
• External debts increased by 8 percent over the year but decreased by 1 percent in a month, while domestic debt grew by 29 percent over the year with a 6 percent increase in a month.
• Effective management of this growing debt is critical for Tanzania's fiscal health and economic stability.