Projection of Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Equatorial Guinea

In this research paper, the ANN approach was applied to analyze TFR in Equatorial Guinea. The employed annual data covers the period 1960-2019 and the out-of-sample period ranges over the period 2019-2030. The residuals and forecast evaluation criteria (Error, MSE and MAE) of the applied model indicate that the model is stable in forecasting TFR in Equatorial Guinea. The results of the study indicate that annual total fertility rates in Equatorial Guinea are likely to rise first up to 5.2 births per woman in 2028 and then decline over the rest of the out-of-sample period Therefore, the government of Equatorial Guinea is encouraged to focus on creating more demand for family planning services by targeting adolescents and young adults, and promote women empowerment.