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Experts outline path to realise Tanzania's Vision 2050

President Samia Suluhu Hassan unveils the National Development Vision 2050 at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Centre (JKCC) in Dodoma on July 17, 2025. PHOTO | STATE HOUSE
What you need to know:
- Experts have praised the vision’s scope, but warn that its success depends on creating an enabling environment and removing entrenched structural and policy barriers.
Dar es Salaam. Economists and policy experts have outlined key priorities and offered practical recommendations for the successful implementation of Tanzania’s newly launched National Development Vision 2050, describing it as an ambitious yet realistic roadmap for long-term economic transformation.
Unveiled by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday, July 17, 2025, in Dodoma, Vision 2050 sets out strategic objectives including economic expansion, private sector empowerment, higher per capita income, and enhanced national self-sufficiency to drive inclusive growth.
Experts have praised the vision’s scope, but warn that its success depends on creating an enabling environment and removing entrenched structural and policy barriers.
They caution that the plan risks remaining aspirational without effective implementation and broad public engagement.
Speaking to The Citizen’s sister newspaper Mwananchi on Friday, July 18, 2025, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) economist, Prof Abel Kinyondo, said the document comprehensively addressed key growth drivers but stressed that well-articulated plans alone are not enough.
“The vision touches on vital pillars, and the ambition for every Tanzanian to enjoy prosperity by 2050 is commendable. But a good plan must be matched by effective execution,” he said.
Prof Kinyondo noted that impact would only be realised if the plan’s principles were decentralised and translated into practical action at the grassroots level.
“To realise this vision, we need two things: to identify and empower implementation enablers, and to eliminate obstacles that may hinder progress,” he said.
He cited human capital development as a core enabler and called for national ownership of the vision through broad-based public awareness so that all citizens feel invested in its success.
Prof Kinyondo also highlighted the importance of local participation in national projects to support domestic economic circulation and self-reliance.
“If we want a self-sufficient economy, we must ask: how much Tanzanian labour and how many local materials are being used in our projects? It’s not just about people, it’s about inputs too,” he said.
On challenges to implementation, he emphasised the importance of good governance and the rule of law, particularly in protecting property rights.
“No country has developed without securing citizens’ rights to own and benefit from property. People must be able to access justice and be protected from arbitrary seizure. If land and assets are legally recognised, even rural Tanzanians can use them to access credit and invest,” he said.
He added that legal and policy frameworks must be aligned with Vision 2050, including constitutional reforms, updated policies, and institutional restructuring.
Addressing gaps from Vision 2025
Meanwhile, an economics lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam Business School, Dr Tobias Swai, said a key strength of Vision 2050 was its acknowledgment of the shortcomings of its predecessor, Vision 2025.
He said financial institutions would play a central role in achieving the target of expanding the national economy nearly twelvefold.
Dr Swai said the target was attainable if the financial sector enhanced access to capital, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and strengthened collaboration with development stakeholders.
“Stakeholders in the financial ecosystem must work together to improve access to finance at the grassroots. Raising per capita income twelvefold over 25 years will require strategic and deliberate action,” he said.
He also noted that unlike Vision 2025, Vision 2050 was developed through extensive consultations with both public and private sector stakeholders and was debated and approved by Parliament.
“This is our shared vision, built through inclusive dialogue. Now we must act with greater determination, leveraging existing assets, like our mineral wealth, national parks, tourism potential, and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), which can be further developed,” he said.
However, he noted persistent challenges, including low technological capacity, limited capital, and a shortage of skilled labour.
Dr Swai called for stronger community engagement, improved work ethic, greater investment in innovation, and strategic platforms for knowledge-sharing and problem-solving.
Zitto Kabwe: Vision needs unity and discipline
Veteran economist and ACT-Wazalendo leader Zitto Kabwe also commented on the Vision 2050 launch via social media, warning that the plan’s ambitious goals could only be met through unity, discipline, and democratic inclusion.
“Today (July 17), the National Development Vision 2050 has been launched. The target is to grow our GDP to $1 trillion and raise per capita income to $7,000 (about Sh18.2 million), from the current $1,200 (Sh3.1 million). That’s a thirteenfold increase,” Zitto posted on his official X platform formerly Twitter.
He insisted that such growth was only possible in a democratic and just society.
“It’s achievable, but only if we remain united, inclusive, and democratic. Justice is the bedrock of sustainable development,” he wrote.
He cautioned that a society ruled by sycophancy would lack the discipline required for long-term transformation.
Vision anchored in participation
Vision 2050 was developed through a more participatory process than previous long-term strategies. Input was gathered from civil society, the private sector, academia, youth, and regional and local authorities.
After broad consultations, the document was submitted to Parliament, which formally endorsed it through a national resolution.
The strategy aims to transform Tanzania into a competitive, inclusive, and resilient economy by 2050, with structural transformation, green growth, human capital development, and digital advancement among its key pillars.