Kigali. Rwanda is intensifying efforts to position itself as East Africa’s next major investment hub, banking on institutional stability, regulatory efficiency and regional connectivity to compete for global capital alongside countries such as Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Speaking during the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali today, senior officials from the Rwanda Development Board outlined the country’s strategy to market itself as a reliable gateway for investors seeking access to East and Central African markets.
The chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board, Jean-Guy Afrika, said investors were increasingly searching for countries capable of offering stability, policy predictability and fast execution amid growing global economic uncertainty.
“We are a continent that consumes more and more, and our workforce undoubtedly will shape the global economy for decades to come,” he said.
“So in this environment, investors are looking for countries that can offer more than an opportunity; they are looking for stability, clarity, speed and execution.”
Mr Afrika said Rwanda’s investment strategy had been shaped by the country’s geographical and historical realities, including its landlocked position and the need to rebuild institutions and trust after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“Because we are landlocked, we focused on connectivity, logistics, aviation services and sectors where reliability and speed matter,” he said.
“Because trust had to be rebuilt, institutional credibility, speed, execution and predictability have become one of Rwanda’s strongest competitive advantages.”
According to Mr Afrika, Rwanda should not be viewed solely as a domestic market but as a regional platform serving the wider East and Central African region through blocs such as the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.
He said the government had deliberately invested in institutions capable of reducing bureaucracy and supporting investors throughout the investment process.
The Rwanda Development Board currently operates a one-stop investment centre that brings together 24 agencies and offers more than 400 services aimed at simplifying business operations.
Mr Afrika said Rwanda’s economy grew by 9.4 percent in 2025, while foreign private capital inflows reached $1.1 billion in 2024, representing a 23 percent increase from the previous year.
He added that the country registered $2.7 billion in investment commitments in 2025 across sectors including manufacturing, agro-processing, mining and real estate.
The government is also investing heavily in logistics and transport infrastructure to strengthen Rwanda’s role as a regional gateway.
Mr Afrika said the new Kigali International Airport, expected to be completed in 2028, will increase passenger capacity from one million to eight million annually.
In mining, he said Rwanda’s mineral exports had reached nearly $900 million while supporting more than 90,000 jobs.
The country is also targeting opportunities in energy, healthcare, tourism and agriculture.
“We are not only looking for capital; we are looking for partners who bring technology, operating experience, market access and long-term commitment,” Mr Afrika said.
Later in the session, chief investment officer at the Rwanda Development Board, Michelle Umurungi, said changing global economic conditions were creating new opportunities for African economies able to move quickly and build investor confidence.
“We meet at a time where the global economic order is being reconfigured in real time,” she said, citing geopolitical tensions, fragmented supply chains and shifting investment flows.
Ms Umurungi said Rwanda recognised early that competitiveness would depend not only on geography but also on governance quality, policy predictability and institutional efficiency.
“The scale challenge is existential because fragmentation will ultimately not get us to the potential that we know we have as a continent,” she said.
She said that Rwanda had positioned itself as a gateway to a regional market of roughly 85 million consumers in neighbouring economies including Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ms Umurungi highlighted Rwanda’s investments in connectivity through RwandAir, which now connects Kigali to more than 30 destinations.
She also pointed to the Kigali Special Economic Zone as part of the country’s strategy to attract export-oriented industries.
“Capital compounds where friction disappears,” she said, adding that investors can register businesses in Rwanda in less than six hours through the Rwanda Development Board.
The investment drive comes as East African countries intensify efforts to attract foreign direct investment into sectors such as manufacturing, mining, logistics, tourism and financial services.
While Tanzania continues to attract investors through its vast natural resources, Indian Ocean ports and larger domestic market, Kenya remains a regional leader in finance and technology services, and Uganda is expanding investment in oil, gas and agro-processing.
Against this backdrop, Rwanda is increasingly targeting sectors driven by speed, innovation and institutional reliability.
Ms Umurungi identified mining, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, tourism, digital finance and real estate among the sectors Rwanda considers strategic for future growth.
She cited the example of Zipline, which partnered with Rwanda to develop a regulatory framework for drone operations before expanding internationally.
In healthcare, Rwanda is investing in pharmaceutical manufacturing and biotechnology through projects such as Kigali Health City, while also positioning itself as a regional centre for specialised medical services.
Concluding the session, Ms Umurungi invited investors to use Rwanda as a base for continental expansion.
“We have built a platform for investors to build from Rwanda and scale across Africa,” she said.
