Guidance

Rwanda Business Guide

Summary of guidelines on doing business in Rwanda

Documents

Details

Rwanda is a small landlocked country in central Africa but with high aspirations. Rwanda’s primary exports are coffee, tea, flowers and minerals including coltan and gold. However it actively promotes itself as a progressive ICT sector as part of a strategy to become a ‘tech hub’.

Rwanda is the most improved economy worldwide since 2005 (World Bank Doing Business Report 2014). It came in 32nd out 189 countries as per 2014 Word Bank Doing Business Report 2nd in Africa. Since 2010, Rwanda’s annual economic growth rate have averaged 7%. This is in part because it has undertaken a radical transformation of its business regulations to make it easier to get credit, pay taxes, starting a business.

Many UK companies operate in Rwanda, including De La Rue, Fusion Capital, Pfunda, Gisovu and Regus. In 2015 Airbus announced Rwandair was purchasing 2 A300 airbuses, with Rolls investment policies and relatively low corruption levels (55 out of 175 in the Corruption Perceptions Index) and a low cost workforce. The main challenges n Rwanda are a relatively poor infrastructure and the cost and availability of electricity. However to address these challenges, the Government of Rwanda’s vision 2020 sets out a strategy for inclusive growth by transforming Rwanda through increased trade, export diversification and deeper regional integration.Royce engines.

There are many benefits for British businesses exporting to Rwanda. It has a liberalised economy, which is supported by a government commitment to the private sector. Whilst it is widely thought that Rwanda’s key language after Kinyarwanda is French, most business and day-to-day life in Kigali is undertaken in English.

There is an active British Business Group in Rwanda please use contact details below for further information. More information to UK investors can be received from the Rwanda High Commission’s Commercial Section in the United Kingdom.

Please see contact person and address below:

Annabelle Uwera
Commercial Officer
The British High Commission, Kigali
Tel: +250 78830 9400
FTN: 8251 2205
Email: Annabelle.uwera@fco.gov.uk

Useful Documents

Published 4 November 2015