Rwanda Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in rwanda, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Energy
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Overview

About 65.7 percent of Rwandans currently have access to electricity (close to 100 percent in urban areas and 38.2 percent in rural areas), with 47.6 percent of households connected to the national grid and 18. percent connected to off-grid systems including solar home systems and microgrid.  In a bid to position Rwanda as a services hub for east and central Africa, the Rwandan government committed to a large number of power purchase agreements with independent power producers to increase generation capacity.  With supply projected to exceed demand by approximately 200MW in 2024, the government is shifting its focus to increasing access, stimulating demand, and strengthening the transmission network.  By 2024, Rwanda plans to supply electricity to 100 percent of the population (52 percent through grid expansion and 48 percent through off-grid technologies).  Though it will not reach this target, new ambitious targets are likely to be set in late 2023 or 2024.  It has also targeted improvements to the grid network (including reducing system losses and improving reliability) and connecting with neighboring countries and importing and exporting power across borders.  Several U.S.-based or owned methane, micro-hydro, off-grid solar, and mini-grid firms are active in Rwanda; there are many opportunities for firms providing innovative and affordable transmission and distribution systems and equipment.  For example, a U.S. company is expanding its electric motorcycle taxi business to take advantage of plentiful power to replace the estimated 100,000 gas power motorcycle taxis in Rwanda.

Power Africa Support:  Power Africa is a market-driven, U.S. government-led initiative intended to double access to electricity in Africa.  It offers private sector entities tools and resources to facilitate doing business in Africa’s power sector.  In 2016, the Electrify Africa Act institutionalized Power Africa.  Learn more about the full Power Africa toolbox or other opportunities offered by Power Africa.

For more information on energy in Rwanda, please visit the websites of the Rwanda Ministry of Infrastructure, RDB, the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Rwanda Energy Group, and Energy Private Developers.

Leading Sub-Sectors

  • Electricity access – on and off-grid (solar home systems and mini-grids)
  • Electricity transmission and distribution
  • Regional electricity system integration and power trading
  • Power sector policy development and planning
  • Institutional capacity building

Opportunities

  • Power transmission and distribution equipment and services
  • Off-grid energy solutions, including rooftop solar products and solar powered irrigation.
  • Technical assistance and services

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