Industrialization and economic development in Tanzania from independence to today: a review of historical strategies, challenges and prospects
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Date
2025-07-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Science Domain International
Abstract
Tanzania got her independence from the British in 1961, by then, Tanganyika, before joining
Zanzibar in 1964. Tanzania started the move towards industrialization just after the independence
in 1961. The Industrial development in Tanzania is categorized in various phases namely
immediately after independence, during Ujamaa na kujitegemea (Socialism & Self-reliance
ideology) after the Arusha Declaration of 1967, economic and political reforms in mid 1980s,
beyond 1996 - privatization and establishment of private sectors, and free market economy period to date. The Industrial Development in Tanzania was strengthened in 2000s when the Tanzania
Development Vision (TDV) 2025 was formulated with the aim of enabling the country to reach the
semi-industrialized economy by 2025. Various strategies and economic development plans have
been formulated in order to meet the TDV 2025. Many industrial development efforts were
observed such as constructions of infrastructures such as buildings for offices, hotels, roads,
railways, marine facilities, purchasing of airplanes, and establishment of power energy plants and
service delivery facilities. However, the Industrial Development sector faced a number of
challenges. The challenges include lack of capital, Inadequate supply of power, lack of technical
skills, discontinuation of policies between succeeding regimes, price fluctuation, unstable
currencies, corruption and economic crises due to various shocks such as the Tanzania –Uganda
war of 1978/1979. However, the Industrial development in Tanzania keeps on pacing since
independence 1961 to date. Industrialization in Tanzania has a positive, though complex,
relationship with economic growth. In order to improve development of industries and country’s
economic growth towards achieving the TDV 2025, the challenges and constraints which hinders
industrial development should be evaded.
Description
South Asian Journal of Social Studies and Economics Volume 22, Issue 7, Page 319-332
Keywords
Ujamaa, Economic Crisis- Reforms, Political Reforms, Privatization, Industrial Sectors, Semi-Industrialized Economy
Citation
https://doi.org/10.9734/sajsse/2025/v22i71082