Tanzania’s Vision 2050 document has some ideas that are quite progressive and worth celebrating. Today, I wish to put on my ‘white hat’ and focus on the positive aspects.
It’s crucial to highlight and celebrate these achievements while the vision is being refined. If we fail to do so, we risk encountering setbacks like those we experienced with the “Katiba Mpya”.
Before delving into this discussion, first, let’s clarify some terms. Goals are broad aspirations, like a prosperous, industrialised Tanzania.
They serve as a guiding North Star. Objectives break goals into measurable outcomes, making them more specific and actionable.
Targets are specific milestones on the path to success: they set precise benchmarks to be achieved within a defined timeframe. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) measure progress toward these targets.
Vision 2050 sets 20 high-level targets to be achieved by 2050, grounded in three key pillars: a strong, inclusive, and competitive economy; human capabilities and social development; and environmental integrity and climate change resilience.
While I believe there are more pressing issues than ‘woke’ concepts like ‘environmental integrity’ and ‘climate change resilience’, it’s clear that there’s a strong alignment between these targets and the pillars of the vision.
Strategic alignment is essential for ensuring the coherence of any plan, and we mustn’t overlook the importance of this alignment in shaping a solid strategy.
The following five targets from the Vision 2050 document promise to be transformative and impactful:
1. Tanzania as an industrialised upper-middle-income economy
Vision 2050 envisions Tanzania as an industrialised upper-middle-income country, boasting a $700 billion economy and a per capita income between $4,700 and $8,000.
This is bold, requiring a 10 percent year-on-year economic growth—a feat that hasn’t been achieved before but is not impossible.
Double-digit growth can transform nations by quadrupling the size of an economy in 15 years.
Nations such as Botswana, China, South Korea, Singapore, and Ethiopia have all gone through such a path.
That level of growth means rapid poverty reduction, job creation, and infrastructure development, laying the foundation for long-term prosperity.
2. Leading food producer in Africa and globally
Another remarkable target is positioning Tanzania as Africa’s leading food producer and one of the top ten globally.
This vision aligns agriculture as a cornerstone of Tanzania’s economic transformation.
With fertile land, abundant water resources, and a large workforce, the potential is immense.
However, achieving this requires modernising agriculture, developing value chains, and accessing international markets.
Top 10 performance means significantly upping our game – currently, we don’t feature even in the top 30.
3. Among the top three business and investment climates in Africa
Tanzania’s business environment has struggled with inefficiencies, red tape, and a lack of predictability for decades.
Vision 2050’s ambition to make Tanzania one of Africa’s top three investment destinations signals a recognition that the status quo is highly undesirable.
Currently, Africa’s top investment climates include Mauritius, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, and Kenya.
Joining this league would mean reforming policies to enhance the ease of doing business, improving investor protection, and ensuring policy consistency.
In practice, this means being able to start a business in three hours as in Mauritius, getting an electricity connection in less than 30 days as in Rwanda, and so on.
4. Kiswahili as a global language
Vision 2050 also envisions Kiswahili as one of Africa’s official languages and an official language at the United Nations.
This reflects a national pride and a strategic cultural and diplomatic ambition.
Kiswahili, spoken by over 200 million people, is already a unifying force in East Africa.
Its elevation to global status would amplify Tanzania’s cultural influence, foster regional integration, and promote African heritage on the world stage.
This is a bold yet attainable target, which will possibly revive Tanzania’s lost confidence in offering much-needed regional leadership.
5. Energy sufficiency and increased consumption
Vision 2050 sets a target for energy sufficiency, with per capita consumption of 600 kWh—six times the current levels.
While this figure matches the current sub-Saharan African average, achieving it would still be transformative for Tanzania.
By achieving this target, Tanzania could power its industries, electrify rural areas, and attract energy-intensive investments.
While I would argue for a more ambitious target, I recognise that is a step in the right direction. It’s a reflection of Tanzania beginning to align its aspirations with the demands of modern economies.
A keen reader may notice that four of the five targets are economic, with only one addressing broader strategic aspects.
This focus reflects my belief that our immediate priority must be addressing foundational challenges that hamper growth.
These areas present vast untapped opportunities in Africa. There should be no confusion: economic strength is the engine for broader progress, making it the logical priority for transformative change.
Vision 2050 isn’t perfect—it could be more visionary, strategic, and inspiring—but it provides a solid foundation.
While I’d prefer a more ambitious and better-articulated document, I recognise the value of progress, however incremental.
These targets highlight Tanzania’s growing potential and challenge us to aim higher and work harder.
