Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment in Developing Countries: A Comparative Analysis

By bridging the gap between domestic savings and investment and bringing the latest technology and management know-how from developed countries, foreign direct investment (FDI) can play an important role in achieving rapid economic growth in developing countries. Developing countries have not been considered as favourable destinations for FDI as developed countries. Moreover, among the developing countries a few, such as China, India, Nigeria and Sudan, are the major recipients of FDI, with the rest vying for the scraps. Using panel data from 68 low-income and lower-middle income developing countries, this article strives to identify the factors that determine FDI inflow to developing countries. Based on a comparative discussion focussing on why some countries are successful in attracting FDI, the article demonstrates that countries with larger GDPs, higher GDP growth rates, higher proportion of international trade and a more business-friendly environment are more successful in attracting FDI.