Performance of domestic investment in Tanzania: an empirical analysis over the 1980 – 2020 period

Abstract

Domestic investment is a key component of the economic growth of any country. In recent years, the growth of domestic investment has not been optimistic. This study aims at analyzing the factors affecting domestic investment in Tanzania. Time-series data of the 1980- 2020 period is used to empirically analyse the performance of the domestic investment. The study applies the Error Correction Model (ECM) to estimate the parameters. Factors affecting domestic investment in Tanzania are critically analysed. The factors influencing domestic investment includes money supply, interest rate, savings rate, and government expenditure. The regression results of this study show that government expenditure is insignificant in influencing domestic investment while money supply, interest rate, and savings rate are statistically significant. To this end, measures that influence domestic investment are indeed called for, implying a need for policies that can control interest rates, savings rates, and money supply . This paper recommends putting in place a conducive environment that could accelerate financial intermediation and domestic savings mobilization in order to improve domestic investment. Furthermore, the study suggests the encouragement of investment incentives and the establishment of vibrant investment promotion agencies.