Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA)

Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) was initially created by Law no-39/2001 of 13 September 2001 with the mission to regulate certain public Utilities, namely: telecommunications network and/or Telecommunications services, electricity, water, removal of waste products from residential or business premises, extraction and distribution of gas and transport of goods and persons. This Law was further reviewed and replaced by Law no – 09/2013 of 01/03/2013 establishing the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) and determining its mission, powers, organization, and functioning.  

RURA Webpage: rura.rw  

Toll-Free 3988, P.O. Box:7289, Kigali-Rwanda 
Phone:(+250)252584562, Fax:(+250)252584563 
Names: Eng. Emile Patrick Baganizi; Title: Ag. Director General; E-mail: info@rura.rw 

 

Rwanda Revenue Authority 

The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) is a government revenue collection agency established by the Parliament of Rwanda. The RRA is charged with enforcing, assessing, collecting, and accounting for the various taxes imposed in Rwanda. The law that created the Rwanda Revenue Authority was passed by the Rwandan Parliament in 1997, but the agency became operational in 1998. RRA is supervised by the Rwanda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. rra.gov.rw, 

Contacts: +250 252 595 503 

Names: Pascal Bizimana Ruganintwali, Title: Commissioner General, info@rra.rw 

 

Rwanda Standards Board 

Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) is a public institution established by Rwanda Government Legislation NO50/2013 of 28/06/2013 determining the mission, organization, and functioning of the Rwanda Standards Board to undertake all activities pertaining to the development of Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Metrology services in the country. It is the only body with the power to define and possess national standards. Public services and public or private firms must present their standards to RSB for adoption at the national level. Home (rsb.gov.rw). 

 

KK 15 Rd, 49; PO Box: 7099 

Kigali-Kicukiro, 

Tel: +250 0788303492, 

Hotline: 3250, Email:info@rsb.gov.rw 

Names: Mr. Raymond MURENZI; Title: Director General; E-mail: raymond.murenzi@rsb.gov.rw 

 

 

Road Transport and Development Agency 

The Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA), established in the year 2010, is a public institution with administrative and financial autonomy and operates under the Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA). It is tasked with managing all activities in the transport sector. More information can be found on the Road Transport and Development Agency Website. 

 

Rwanda Development Board 

The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is an entity with broad expertise which reports directly to the President’s Office. RDB’s objective is to promote economic growth through the development of the private sector and the attraction of investors worldwide, addressing their needs using an online database (Rwanda regulations).  More information can be found on the Rwanda Development Board Website. 

Rwanda Development Board 
KN 5 Rd, KG 9 Ave, Tel: 1415, Tel (International): (+250) 727775170, E-mail: info@rdb.rw 

Names: Francis Gatare; Title: Chief Executive Officer and Cabinet Representative, 

 

Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) 

Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority hereafter designated as the “Authority”, was established by the law Nº 003/2018 of 09/02/2018 determining its mission, organization, and functioning. The mandate of the Authority is to protect public health through the regulation of human and veterinary medicines, vaccines and other biological products, processed foods, poisons, medicated cosmetics, medical devices, household chemical substances, and tobacco and tobacco products. 

All free: 9707 

Email: info@rwandafda.gov.rw 

Po Box: 1948 Kigali-Rwanda 

Address: Nyarutarama Plaza,Rwanda KG 9 Avenue, Kigali 

Website: Home (rwandafda.gov.rw) 

Names: Prof. Emile BIENVENU; Mr. Director General,  

 

Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition, and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) 

Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) was established by Law Nº 31/2017 OF 25/07/2017 to carry out inspection of quality and standards conformity and promote healthy competition in the economy by prohibiting unfair business practices as well ensuring consumers protection. About us (rica.gov.rw) 

Email: info@rica.gov.rw 

Address: KK 8, Av 64, Kicukiro (Safari Center House), 

Names: Mrs UWUMUKIZA Beatrice, Ag Director General,  

 

Rwanda Information Society Authority  

Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) Rwanda Information Society Authority “RISA” is a government institution established in 2017, governed by law No 02/2017 of 18/02/2017. RISA has the mission of digitizing the Rwandan society through increased usage of ICT as a crosscutting enabler for the development of other sectors "Championing Rwanda's Digital Transformation". Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA): Home,  

Email: info@risa.gov.rw 

Address: KK 8, Av 64, Kicukiro (Safari Center House), 

Names: Mr. Innocent Bagamba Muhizi, Title: Chief Executive Officer,  

 

 

Rwanda Environment Management Authority  

Under supervision of the Ministry of Environment, from the Law no 63/2013 of 27/08/2013 determining the mission, organization and functioning of Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), REMA reserves the legal mandate for national environmental protection, conservation, promotion, and overall management, including advisory to the government on all matters pertaining to the environment and climate change. Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA): Home 

Toll-free: 3989 

Names: Juliet Kabera, Title: Director General, email: info@rema.gov.rw 

 

National Agricultural Export Development Board 

National Agricultural Export Development Board, abbreviated as “NAEB” is a commercial public institution established by law No 13/2017 of 14/04/2017 determining its mission, organization, and functioning. It has a legal personality and enjoys administrative and financial autonomy and is also managed in accordance with relevant laws. National Agricultural Export Development Board (naeb.gov.rw) 

 

KK 530 St, Kigali,  

Names: Mr. Claude BIZIMANA, Title: Chief Executive Officer, email: info@naeb.gov.rw 

 

Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board 

The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) is an autonomous body established by LAW No38/2010 OF 25/11/2010 and currently, RAB is governed by Law NO 14/2017 of 14/04/2017 establishing Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), determining its mission, organization, and functioning. The law specifies that: RAB has the general mission of championing the agriculture sector development into a knowledge-based; technology driven and market-oriented industry, using modern methods in crop, animal, fisheries, forestry, and soil and water management in food, fiber, and fuel wood production and processing. www.rab.gov.rw, 

 

Rubona, Huye District, Huye – Rwanda,  

Mobile: +250788385312, Toll free: 4675 

Names: Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, Title: Director General, infos@rab.gov.rw 

 

Rwanda Cooperative Agency 

The authority is responsible for the registration of cooperatives, cooperative promotion and capacity building, financial service cooperatives development and sustainability and it provides non-financial cooperatives supervision. Home (rca.gov.rw) 

Toll-free: 4163,  

Muhanga District, Nyamabuye Sector, Catholic University of Kabgayi Building. 

Names: Dr. Patrice Mugenzi, Title: Director General, E-mail: info@rca.gov.rw 

 

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.3 Laboratory and Quality Testing Company Contact List. 

 

 

Port Assessment 

Rwanda is a landlocked country and thus has no coastline or maritime claims. It therefore relies on the ports of Mombasa in Kenya and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania for most of its imports and exports. To find a sustainable solution to market barriers, Rwanda has established an East Africa inland port through its partnership with Dubai Port.  Rwanda's In-land port named Kigali Logistics Platform offers warehousing services, transportation services, cold store for perishable products and container storage services. It is expected to help Rwanda save up to $50 million from reduction of logistics cost. To support trade and ease transportation of imported cargoes, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) opened a liaison office in Kigali in July 2013. The office allows importers to track their cargo from Kigali and pay port dues directly at Kigali.  

For information on Kenya Port of Mombasa, please see the following link: 2.1.1 Kenya Port of Mombasa 

For information on Tanzania Port of Dar es Salaam, please see the following links: 

Tanzania Port Authority Website 

2.1.1 Tanzania Port of Dar es Salaam 

 

 

 

Aviation 

Key airport information may also be found at: https://www.caa.gov.rw/ 

Rwanda being a relatively small country in terms of area and with relatively good quality roads there is not much requirement for many regional airports. Additionally, being such a hilly country there is little flat land.  

The aviation sector in Rwanda has seen massive growth over the recent years. The sector is regulated by the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) which manages all aspects of civil aviation in the country. In the recent past, the institution has undergone legal reforms which have greatly impacted the execution of its operations in ensuring safety, security, and infrastructural development. 

Kigali International Airport (KIA), formerly known as Gregoire Kayibanda International Airport, is the primary airport serving Kigali, and the only international airport in the country. It is the main air gateway for all destinations in the country, and in addition serves as a transit airport for Goma and Bukavu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The airport is in the suburb of Kanombe, at the eastern edge of Kigali, approximately 12 km from the city centre. 

There has been significant growth in air traffic with the introduction of a number of international airlines to the country. KIA is undergoing expansion to meet the midterm additional capacity requirements. For the longer term, construction is currently underway for construction of a world class international airport – New Bugesera International Airport (NBIA) - which will be located some 40 km from Kigali.   

Domestic air transport is very limited. Regular flights are conducted to Kamembe Airport, while Gisenyi aerodrome is being upgraded. 

For a list of the airports in Rwanda with details on each, please see the following attachment: List of Rwanda Airports 

RwandAir, the national carrier, has in the recent past acquired new aircraft and operates on many routes in Africa and United Arab Emirates. Other airlines operating flights to Kigali include Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, SN Brussels Airline, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, and China Postal Airlines.  
  

New Bugesera International Airport (NBIA) 
Bugesera International Airport is being constructed to accommodate the growth of air traffic in Rwanda. The project will cost approximately US $650 million and will be located 25 km southeast of Kigali. The airport will have capacity for three million passengers per year. The first phase of construction will include the runway of 4,200 m, a cargo terminal and a passenger terminal with capacity for 1.8 million passengers per year. 

 

National Airports 

Due to COVID –19, the upgrading of the Airports was delayed hence the situation remains the same as 2016.The domestic airports of Kamembe and Gisenyi/Rubavu, located in the South and Southwest of Rwanda, respectively, it was reported by Rwanda Airports authority that minor rehabilitation works were carried out. The two airports will boost tourism in the mountains for the gorillas and volcanoes and connect the country to Goma in DRC. For more information, please see below.  

Rwandan Flyer Website, for more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links: HQ staff will input a link to sections 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List here.  

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft 

A. company which wishes to register an aircraft in Rwanda shall apply to the RCAA for aircraft 

registration by submitting a duly completed prescribed application form to the RCAA. 

B. Application for aircraft registration is accepted only for aircraft of a type that is acceptable to 

the RCAA. 

Additional Documentation to be Submitted

A. It is required on application for aircraft registration to submit to the RCAA the full specification 

of the aircraft including— 

1) The full description of the type, model and serial number; 

2) Type certificate data sheet; 

3) Supplementary type certificate data, if any; 

4) Make and part numbers of avionics and equipment installed; 

5) Airworthiness Directives (ADs) status report; 

6) Copy of the current Certificate of Registration, if applicable; 

 

Procedures and relevant forms for utilisation of the following services are explained on the RCAA website. These include: 

• Over Flight & Landing Clearance 

• Airport Restricted Areas Form 

• Cargo Access Form 

• Procedures for Clearance of Human Remains 

• Airport Visit and Tour Notice 

When all the application and documentation is presented the process according to RCAA should take about 1 to 3 days. RCAA also provides for emergency landing upon advance notification. 

For RCAA contact information, please see the following attachment: Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority Contact Information 

For Rwanda Aviation contact details, please see the following link: 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List.  

 

 

 

 

Road Network 

All activities within the road transport sector are managed by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) which operates under the Ministry of Infrastructure (MINIFRA). Within the legal and institutional framework stated in the National Transport Policy, MINIFRA is responsible for the sector's policies and strategies. 

Rwanda is dependent on its road transport system for the economic development of the country. All the major towns are connected by the road network. Rwanda is also well connected by the road transport system with the neighbouring countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The road system plays a very important role in the import and export business of the country. 

The Rwanda road network has improved through rehabilitation and upgrading during the past years. The total road network covers 7,500 km of paved roads and 11,346 km unpaved roads, making a total of 18846 km. Roads are classified into national (2,860 km), District (1,835 km) and gravel roads (3,563 km). (Source: RTDA) 

Primary roads, which are suitable for heavy long-haul trucks, connect the capital Kigali with the provinces and international border crossings. The paved primary roads link Kigali with the major locations of Ngoma, Kirehe, Huye, Gicumbi, Nyagatare, Rusizi, Musanze and Rubavu. Many of these roads are steep, especially in the Northern and Southern provinces, and therefore travel speeds along these roads should be quite slow. 

Secondary roads are generally acceptable for small trucks (15 MT max) but require 4WD during rainy seasons especially on roads in mountainous areas. These roads are narrow, steep and difficult to pass during the 6 – 7 month long rainy season. The condition of the district roads in rural areas will only allow small trucks of a 10 MT capacity during the dry season and only about 5 mt during the rainy season. 

Rwanda is a small country and the distances from Kigali to the provincial towns are not very far in relative terms. However, due to road conditions and the terrain, the average travelling time for a heavy loaded vehicle, it takes from Kigali as follows: Huye, 3 hours; Rusizi, 5 hours; Rubavu, 2 hours, Ngoma, 3 hours; and Karongi, 4 hours. 

All secondary roads are unpaved and become very difficult to travel across during the wet season. Truck movements during the rainy season become very difficult due to floods and mudslides, especially with the mountainous terrain of the country,  

The government’s plan to improve the transport sector places emphasis on rural areas. Its major objectives include maintenance and rehabilitation of the rural road network in order to promote commercial exchanges and reviewing the feasibility of an international railway line that connects to the Tanzanian rail network. These initiatives would make a substantial improvement to the infrastructure to support economic growth and ease the burden on humanitarian programmes.  

For more information on Primary Roads in Rwanda, please see the following attachment: Rwanda Primary Roads Information 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

Distance Matrix 

Distances from Capital City to Major Towns (km)
	Kigali	Muhanga	Huye	Nyamagabe	Rusizi	Karongi	Rubavu
Kigali		51	133	161	290	138	156
Muhanga	51		83	112	238	87	164
Huye	133	83		28	155	119	247
Nyamagabe	161	112	28		126	197	312
Rusizi	290	238	155	126		130	248
Karongi	138	87	165	197	130		110
Rubavu	156	164	247	312	248	110

 

Distances from Capital City to Major Towns (km)
	Kigali	Musanze	Gicumbi	Ngoma	Nyagatare
Kigali		94	66	114	162
Musanze	94		106	224	190
Gicumbi	66	106		183	79
Ngoma	114	224	183		121
Nyagatare	162	190	79	121

Road Security 

Security within Rwanda is generally very good and the UN Security level for Rwanda is level 1, except for the north-east of Rwanda close to the DRC border where it is level 2. The security in areas bordering DRC is very volatile due to unpredictable armed conflict in the eastern DRC.  

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits 

Following the assent of the East African Community Vehicle load bill, axle loads are limited to 56 mt and a maximum seven axles for commercial trucks. Measurement is based on axle load imposed are for a maximum 10 tons for a single axle t, 18 tons for Tandem and 24 tons for Tridem. A tolerance of 5% of the permissible maximum axle load limit shall be allowed on the axle load limits. All member states will be aligned to that law. Previously, Kenya allowed a maximum of 48 tons for vehicles on its roads, Rwanda and Burundi 53 tons, while Tanzania and Uganda allowed 56 tons. The approved higher payload to be applied will reduce the transport cost. (Sources: Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority and The East African) 

Road Class and Surface Conditions 

Classification	Road Description
Class – RN	Route National (Bitumen) – There are 13 routes under this classification; they have bitumen surfacing and are international links with Kigali and the major towns within Rwanda.
Class – RN	Route National (Gravel) – There are about 30 routes under this classification; they have gravel surfaces and are international links with Kigali and the major towns.
Class – RD	Route District (Gravel) – There are 77 routes under this classification; they have gravel surfaces and are used for intra & inter-district travel.
Class – UC	Unclassified Routes – All other routes within Rwanda.
Class – UR	Urban Routes – Urban roads administered by Kigali City Municipality.

Bridges 

Generally, rivers are quite small in Rwanda due to the hilly nature of the land. Therefore, the bridges are quite small and are of good construction, resulting in few problems with bridges in urban areas. In the rural areas, bridges are affected by the rainy season. Two major bridges in the country are the Rusumo Bridge and the Nyabarongo Bridge. 

The Rusumo Bridge is located at the Rusumo Border Post on the Central Corridor and was first constructed in the year 1972. The construction of a One Stop Border Post (OSBP) facility between the Republic of Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania included the complete replacement with a new bridge, which is 82 m long and 13.5 m wide. The facility, which became operational in November 2014, is a key entry point for traffic originating from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to Rwanda, Burundi and DRC.  

 

Railway Assessment 

There are currently no railway lines in Rwanda. However, there are plans to construct a railway line which would link Isaka, Tanzania to Kigali.  

The Government is committed to developing a rail transport system as one of the envisaged solutions to boosting socio-economic development, welfare of Rwandans as well as cutting down the transport costs. At present, two major rail transport corridors connecting the country to the Indian Ocean are in pipeline, with the Northern Corridor running from Mombasa-Nairobi-Kampala to Kigali, and the Central Corridor linking Kigali with Dar Es Salaam. The proposed railway in Rwanda will be a single ballasted, standard gauge system with maximum speed of 120 Kph for passenger and 80 Kph for freight. 

 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

 

Waterways Assessment 

Rwanda is a land-locked and mountainous country, and its transportation system focusses on land infrastructure. Although Rwanda has many lakes and rivers which might attract both the transport of passengers and goods, there is no significant inland waterway services except the very limited waterway operations in Lake Kivu. Lake Kivu, forming the border with DRC operates occasional boat services from Cyangugu, Kibuye and Gisenyi but not on a regular timetable and often have to be chartered. Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. 

In the past, Lake Kivu drained toward the north, contributing to the White Nile. About 13,000 to 9,000 years ago, volcanic activity blocked Lake Kivu's outlet to the watershed of the Nile. The volcanism produced mountains, including the Virungas, which rose between Lake Kivu and Lake Edward, to the north. Water from Lake Kivu was then forced south down the Ruzizi. This, in turn, raised the level of Lake Tanganyika, which overflowed down the Lukuga River. 

Lake Kivu is approximately 42 km (26 mi) long and 50 km (31 mi) at its widest. Its irregular shape makes measuring its precise surface area difficult; it has been estimated to cover a total surface area of some 2,700 km2 (1,040 sq mi), making it Africa's eighth largest lake. The surface of the lake sits at a height of 1,460 meters (4,790 ft) above sea level. This lake has a chance of suffering a limnic eruption every 1000 years. The lake has a maximum depth of 475 m (1,558 ft) and a mean depth of 220 m (722 ft), making it the world's twentieth deepest lake by maximum depth, and the thirteenth deepest by mean depth. 

Some 1,370 square kilometres (529 sq mi) or 58 percent of the lake's waters lie within DRC borders.

The lakebed sits upon a rift valley that is slowly being pulled apart, causing volcanic activity in the area. 

The world's tenth-largest island in a lake, Idjwi, lies in Lake Kivu, within the boundaries of Virunga National Park. Settlements on the lake's shore include Bukavu, Kabare, Kalehe, Sake and Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gisenyi, Kibuye, and Cyangugu in Rwanda. 

Scientists hypothesise that sufficient volcanic interaction with the lake's bottom water that has high gas concentrations would heat water, force the methane out of the water, spark a methane explosion, and trigger a nearly simultaneous release of carbon dioxide, though the entry of 1 million cubic meters of lava during the January 2002 eruption had no effect. The carbon dioxide would then suffocate large numbers of people in the lake basin as the gases roll off the lake surface. It is also possible that the lake could spawn tsunamis as gas explodes out of it. 

The risk posed by Lake Kivu began to be understood during the analysis of more recent events at Lake Nyos. Lake Kivu's methane was originally thought to be merely a cheap natural resource for export, and for the generation of cheap power. Once the mechanisms that caused lake overturns began to be understood, so did awareness of the risk the lake posed to the local population. 

An experimental vent pipe was installed at Lake Nyos in 2001 to remove gas from the deep water, but such a solution for the much larger Lake Kivu would be considerably more expensive. The approximately 510 million metric tons (500×106 long tons) of carbon dioxide in the lake is a little under 2 percent of the amount released annually by human fossil fuel burning. Therefore, the process of releasing it could potentially have costs beyond simply building and operating the system.  

There are also small boats usually in dugout canoes or hand-crafted boats used to ferry people to some of the islands in the lake. 

With respect to transport cost: Speed boat which carries 10 people is hired at 312 USD from Kibuye to Gisenyi in 1hour and 30 minutes owned by individuals.  

http://www.mininfra.gov.rw 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

Company Information 

Rwanda is a land-locked and mountainous country, and its transportation system focusses on land infrastructure. The main transport of goods using the Lake Kivu is BRALIRWAs’ beverages from Gisenyi brewing factory to Kibuye as transportation costs with considerable quantity of heavy goods is lower than of road transport. 

For more information on waterway company contact details, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact. 

Availability 

Rwanda established Kigali Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) as an industrial zone where logistical infrastructure are constructed. Storage facilities are available in the country in various capacities. Facilities in Kigali are more expensive than in most other towns but also more suited as storage facilities. Most storage facilities are privately owned with some few public ones, some of which have been constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI). Access to storage facilities is limited to trucks. Handling of commodities for loose cargo is mostly manual, and mechanized handling is limited to few bigger storage facilities. The availability of reliable storage varies, depending on utilization by owners of facilities or other clients. 

For more information on storage company contact details, please see the following link: 4.6 Storage and Milling Companies Contact List. 

Commercial Storage 

There are a couple of commercial private storage facilities in Kigali City namely EAX, ZARA, TRANSPAPER, DPWORLD, ADR Millers, ENAS, John Nabirinda, Seminega Jean Bosco, MAGERWA and many other warehouses. Outside of Kigali, well established storage facilities are owned by ENAS in Kirehe District and WIM Ltd in Musanze district. Pembe Flour Mills have established a new flour mill in the town (close to the football stadium) that has clean and secure storage for about 12,000 Mt and space is available for rental should it be required. 

Bollore Logistics also owns 20,000sqm of rentable warehousing; however, it is also acting as a custom bonded warehouse, which is also customs bonded. The average cost of warehouse rent in Kigali is US$5/SQM negotiable. 

Location	Owner	Available for Rent	Capacity  (MT / m² / m³)	Type	Access	Condition
Economic Free Zone	John Nabirinda	Yes	1850 m2	Warehouse	Yes	Good
Nyandungu 12	Nkubili-ENAS	Yes	2000 m2+ 1500 m2	Warehouse	Yes	Good
Economic Free Zone	Seminega Jean Bosco	Yes	1400 m2 + 600 m2	Warehouse	Yes	Good
Economic Free Zone	Soft Packaging Ltd	Yes	2500m2	Warehouse	Yes	Good

 

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organizations 

WFP Rwanda has a main warehouse facility located in Kigali which covers two compounds and two permanent buildings plus 10 rub halls and is accessible by road transport. Through its partner ADRA, UNHCR is utilizing a warehouse in Gikondo owned by MAGERWA and a Logistics Base at Kicukiro Industrial Park in Gahanga. WFP CO is also providing warehousing through service provision to UNICEF and UNHCR whilst warehouse facilities to MINEMA are provided as a part of capacity strengthening through a Memorandum of understanding.  

Public Sector Storage- Information not available immediately 

Cold Chain 

Rwanda Revenue Authority has a cold chain facility at the airport Cargo section, but capacity is limited as it is the only one in the country which can be used by the public/commercial sector. DP world Kigali is in Cyimo, Masaka, Kigali and its cold storage is 500sqm that enables smarter trade and reduces logistics costs by attracting investment and offering companies new options for their stored imports and exports. DP world has an annual capacity of 50,000 TEUs and 19,000 sqm bonded warehouse capacity making it one of the biggest logistics hubs in East Africa (DP World, 2020). 

 Further, DP World operates cold storage facility for commercial use and exports of agricultural produce through NAEB (National Agriculture Development Export Board).  

 

Fuel Overview 

Currently, Rwanda imports all its petroleum products requirements from abroad since there is no local production. The consumption of petroleum in Rwanda stands at 23 million litres per month. This constitutes about 20% of total national imports and has been steadily rising in the past five years, with an average annual increase of 12 per cent. 
The main policy objective for the sub-sector is to ensure safe, sufficient, reliable, sustainable and affordable supply of petroleum product. This entails boosting investments in supply and storage infrastructure.  

In order to address current sub-sector challenges, the Rwanda Energy Policy reinforces the implementation of existing sub-sector policies through the following objectives: 

Accelerate regional cooperation and strategic infrastructure development to reduce the costs of procurement, transportation and storage of petroleum products. 
Project: 
Eldoret-Kampala-Kigali petroleum pipeline: the Governments of Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda have agreed   to promote investment for the extension of petroleum pipeline from Eldoret in Kenya to Kampala and Kigali. Feasibility study has been commissioned in 2014. Fund mobilization through the private sector is ongoing. 

Ensure security of petroleum supply by ensuring adequate storage infrastructure and adequate strategic reserves: 
Ensure adequate storage infrastructure: currently Rwanda petroleum storage infrastructure essentially consists of government and private sector owned fuel depots equivalent to 72,000,000 litres as per table below: 

The downstream infrastructure of petroleum including storage depots, petrol service stations, import transmission, distribution, and trade of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is regulated by RURA. 

Additional information on the role of RURA can be obtained on the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority Website.    

The oil companies are required to keep 10,000 m³ of operational stock to ensure that there is sufficient petroleum supply within the country. Storage facilities are located at: Kigali, Gisenyi, Gatsatsa, and Butare. There are three facilities of 3,660 m³ each at Gatsatsa and two facilities of 1,950 m³ at Butare. 

For more info on fuel transport, fuel price and fuel depots, please visit the Rwanda Ministry of Trade and Industry Website.  

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List

Information may also be found at: http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/ which is updated monthly.  

Fuel Pricing 

Fuel prices are regulated by the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), which has the mandate to regulate certain public Utilities, namely: telecommunications network and/or services, electricity, water, removal of waste products from residential or business premises, extraction and distribution of gas and transport of goods and persons. 

The price of other petroleum products is not controlled. The government's oil price policy is used to keep the selling prices constant while adapting the level of taxation to compensate for changes in the world market.  

As of 16 September 2022, the average price of diesel and gasoline around the world is 1.29 US$ / litre. (Source: Global Petrol Prices)   

 

Fuel Prices per Litre as of 22092022   (Local currency and USD - $)
Petrol	1,609 Rwf / 1.56 US$
Diesel	1,607 Rwf / 1.56 US$
Paraffin	400.54 Rwf/ 0.388 US$
Jet A-1	3137 Rwf/ $3.04 US$

 

Seasonal Variations  

Variations in supply may occur if there are problems with the supply or availability of fuel from the fuel sourcing countries: Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. 

Seasonal Variations
Are there national priorities in the availability of fuel? (i.e. are there restrictions or priorities for the provision of fuel such as to the military?)	Yes
Is there a rationing system?	No
Is fuel to lower income / vulnerable groups subsidized?	No
Can the local industry expand fuel supply to meet humanitarian needs?	Yes
Is it possible for a humanitarian organization to directly contract a reputable supplier / distributor to provide its fuel needs?	Yes

Fuel Transportation 

Internal transportation of fuel in Rwanda is carried out by trucks from Kenya (Nairobi and Eldoret) and Dar es Salaam. The supply is relatively constant and can meet the local demand. However, there have been reports of limited storage capacity for fuel in the country. To address that issue, the Government partnered with private oil dealers to have reserves of up to 150 million litres. In 2015, Societe Petroliere LTD has completed the construction of 21 million litres capacity in Rusororo Sector, Gasabo District, in Kigali where the inland terminal for the proposed Eldoret-Kampala-Kigali pipeline for refined petroleum products will be located. Other companies that have already embarked on storage construction include Abbarci Petroleum Marketing (ABBARCI), Oryx Petroleum, Protek and Mont Meru Petroleum Rwanda. The existing capacity 30 million litres will be significantly increased by the year 2017. (Source: The New Times)  

Standards, Quality and Testing 

Industry Control Measures
Do tanks have adequate protection against water mixing with the fuel?	Yes
Are there filters in the system which monitor where fuel is loaded into aircraft?	Yes
Is there adequate epoxy coating of tanks on trucks?	Yes
Is there a presence of suitable firefighting equipment?	Yes

 

Standards Authority
Is there a national or regional standards authority?	Yes
If yes, please identify the appropriate national and/or regional authority.	National:  Regional:
If yes, are the standards adequate/properly enforced?	Yes

 

Testing Laboratories
Are there national testing laboratories?	Yes

 

 

Fuel Quality Testing Laboratory
Company	Rwanda Standard Board (RSB)
Name
Address	PO. Box 7099 Kigali
Telephone and Fax	+250 252 583305  +250 252 582945/586103
Contact
Standards Used	East African Community Standards & ASTM

 
Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider. 

 

 

 

 

Transporters 

All activities within the road transport sector are managed by the Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) which operates under the Ministry of Infrastructure (MINIFRA). Within the legal and institutional framework stated in the National Transport Policy, MINIFRA is responsible for the sector policies and strategies. 

The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA), which reports directly to the Office of the Prime Minister, whilst playing coordinative role between the MINIFRA and service providers ensures fair competition in the market in addition to ensuring compliance with national transport laws and regulations. 

The “Association des Transporteurs Agréés au Rwanda” (ATAR) is an association of private goods transport operators which works in collaboration with the Private sector federation (PSF). The objectives of the association are to support transporters and regulate prices. The transport market in Rwanda has players from neighbouring countries. As a result, there is free competition in the market across all transporters. 

With the growing economy and increase of industries production for export, Rwandan freight transporters have also increased their logistical skills and international good practices such as, electronic cargo tracking systems to compete effectively with those in neighbouring countries.  

The transport capacity in the market is able to meet local demand, although, very costly. Some of the factors which contribute to this high cost are the limited availability of freight transport companies and high fuel charges. Mostly, trucks owners prefer to operate individually instead of forming companies. Transporters from neighbouring countries are utilised to a great extent for the importation of products and subcontracted by local transporters for export. Long hauliers in Rwanda are involved in exportation of Tea and coffee to neighbouring countries.  

The current transport capacity supplemented with operators from neighbouring countries can accommodate an influx in demand from the humanitarian community.  

Cross border transport is currently costly due to a number of constraints faced by transporters along the way. In addition, there has been very significant increase in transport costs because of the global fuel crisis, imposition of new axle-load restrictions and customs delays in the region. 

The file attached below contains contact for transport companies utilised by the World Food Programme Rwanda. 

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Transporter Contact List. 

 

	BOLLORE TRANSPORT&LOGISTICS Rwanda Ltd			FREIGHT FORWARDERS   Rwanda Ltd
	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle
Vehicle type	25	35 Mt	Good	8	35 Mt
Vehicle type	20	10 Mt	Good	10	15 Mt
Total Capacity	620 Mt			430 Mt

 

	GADANO GENERAL TRADING Ltd			TRUCK TECK&LOGISTICS Ltd
	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition
Vehicle type	56	30 Mt	Good	10	30 Mt	Good
Total Capacity	1,680 Mt			300 Mt

 

	KESI INVESTMENT Ltd			ALLIED TRANSPORT Ltd
	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition
Vehicle type	30	35 Mt	Good	25	30 Mt	Good
Total Capacity	1,050 Mt			750 Mt

 

	MUKAKIMENYI EMERANCE			BIZIMUNGU GERARD
	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition
Vehicle type	15	10 Mt	Good	20	35Mt	Good
Vehicle type	3	35 Mt	Good	2	15	Good
Vehicle type	3	15 Mt	Good	5	10 Mt	Good
Total Capacity	300 Mt			780 Mt

 

	TRANS AFRICA CONTAINER Ltd			TRADELINE LOGISTICS Rwanda Ltd
	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition
Vehicle type	70	35 Mt	Good	15	35	Good
Total Capacity	2450 Mt			525 Mt

 

	PETROCOM Ltd				PAN AFRICA LOGISTICS
	Number of Vehicles		Capacity per Vehicle	Condition	Number of Vehicles	Capacity per Vehicle	Condition
Vehicle type	32		35 Mt	Good	6	30	Good
Total Capacity	1,120 Mt				180 Mt

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider. 

 

Manual Labour 

Manual labour is extensively used in the country by grain processors, in factories, in markets and by government institutions. Manual labourers work in cooperatives and their costs are charged 1 rwf per kilo or USD 1.5 per metric ton, particularly for packaged food. 

The operations of labourers are very restricted within these cooperatives, which also have their established areas of operations. As such movement of individuals from one place of work to another is guarded. Casual labour 1.45USD controversy rates at refugee camps range between 24,000rwf, or 23USD, per month. 

 

Labour Rate(s) Overview
	Cost  (Local Currency)	Rate as of November 2022
Daily General Worker (Unskilled casual labour)	1050 RWF /mt	November 2022 (Loaders payment per metric ton)
Daily General Worker (Semi-skilled labour)	200,000 RWF	November 2022(ACE GLOBAL tally salary)

 

Telecommunications 

The operation of telecommunication services in Rwanda is controlled by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA). The telecommunications network in Rwanda, particularly for mobile phones, covers most parts of the country with three main players in the market. 

Mobile telephone coverage is provided by, MTN Rwanda cell and Airtel Rwanda LTD who all offer prepaid and post-paid services. Mobile phone SIM cards are readily available at the Service provider shop. For all two companies, roaming facilities are provided in many countries. Roaming charges are applied. 

Landline telephone services are provided by Liquid Telecom, a subsidiary company of Econet Wireless Group based in South Africa.  Econet Wireless acquired the assets and businesses from Rwanda Tel which had previously been the biggest landline line service provider in the country. Additionally, MTN Rwanda cell, Airtel Rwanda LTD and BSC offer fixed Telephone services. 

For more information on Rwanda Telecommunications, please see the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority Website.  

Rwanda Telecom market is now composed by two (2) Telecommunication Operators that include MTN Rwanda Ltd and Airtel Rwanda Ltd, four (4) Internet Service Providers (ISPs), one (1) Wholesaler Network Service Provider, two (2) Network Facility Providers and twenty-three (23) Retailer Internet Service Providers. 

For more information on telecoms contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List. 

 

Telephone Services
Is there an existing landline telephone network?	Yes
Does it allow international calls?	Yes
Number and Length of Downtime Periods (on average)	Telephone network is faily stable
Mobile Phone Providers	MTN RWANDACEL  AIRTEL RWANDA
Approximate Percentage of National Coverage

Telecommunications Regulations 

Communication equipment should be licensed with the government authority known as Agence de Regulation Multi-sectorielle. There are no satellite phone providers in Rwanda so selected WFP staff use Thuraya. Radio communication is restricted for use by government, humanitarian, and business organisations. 

Regulations
Regulations on Usage and Import	Yes / No	Regulating Authority
Satellite	N/A	N/A
HF Radio	Yes	RURA
UHF/VHF/HF radio: handheld, base and mobile	Yes	RURA
UHF/VHF repeaters	Yes	RURA
GPS	Yes	No restrictions
VSAT	Yes	RURA
Individual Network Operator Licenses Required	Yes	RURA
Frequency Licenses Required	Yes, Annual	RURA

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems 

All UN agencies in Rwanda have established radio communication systems (HF & VHF) and use a common radio network managed by UNDSS. Coordination is managed by the UN Security Cell.  

In Rwanda, the satellite in service is VSAT Fast broadband two-way satellite internet service from Brussels Satellite VSAT private teleport. 

Existing UN Telecommunication Systems
Organisations	UNDP	WFP	WHO	FAO	UNHCR	UNDSS	UNICEF
VHF frequencies	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
HF frequencies	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes
Locations of Repeaters	No	Mt Jali	No	No	Yes	Mt Huye  Kigali  Mt Karongi	Kigali
VSAT	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

Internet Service Providers
Are there ISPs available?	Yes
If yes, are they privately or government owned?	Private
Dial-up only?	No
Approximate Rates (local currency and USD - $)	Dial-up	Obsolete
	Broadband
Max Leasable ‘Dedicated’ Bandwidth	Varies between ISP’s. Isolated areas use V-SAT and GPRS.

 

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) 

As per Statistics Report for Telecom, Media and Broadcasting Sector as of the Year 2022, the operators providing mobile telephone services are MTN Rwanda Ltd and Airtel Rwanda Ltd. 

For information on MNOs please visit the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority Website. 

Company	Number of Agent Outlets by Area	Network Strength by Area	Contracted for Humanitarian or Government Cash Transfer  Programmes?	Services Offered  (i.e. Merchant Payment,  Bulk Disbursement,  Receive & Make Payment)
MTN RWANDACELL	30,000 Mobile Money agents and 60,000 MoMoPay merchants across the country.	99%	YES (UNHCR)	YES
AIRTEL RWANDA	Few agents (No information on the number of agent Outlets)	50%	NO	YES (Merchant Payment and Receive & Make Payment)

 

 

According to the Rwanda Agricultural Sector Situational Analysis Report (IPAR, 2009), local food production was expected to meet 91% domestic consumption for the year 2012. It is estimated that two thirds of Rwandan households’ food production is consumed within the family. The Government encourages all smallholder households to retain one-third of their production for own consumption. Land is the most binding constraint to production, with 78.5% of the country’s total land surface being used for agriculture, indicating severe scarcity of this critical production factor. Rwanda therefore remains a food-deficit country, importing on average 130,000 mt of food per year. High population growth, averaging 2.9% per year, and modest income gains have fueled an increasing demand for food which has exceeded production gains.

However according to the Ministry of Agriculture MINAGRI statistics, production of food crops has increased dramatically over the years owing to good agricultural policies. Maize production has increased. However, the findings from the 2015 Comprehensive Food security and Vulnerably Assessment revealed a trade deficit in cereals between 2013 and 2014 where there was more cereals imported than exported.

Food crops are mainly imported from Uganda to meet demand not met by local production. Maize is the main food import. Wholesale prices of maize and beans are sustained by flow of import of Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

Key trading markets in Rwanda include the Nyabugogo Market, which is the main wholesale market for food crops. Each of the country’s 30 districts has main food markets, with the Kimironko and Nyarugenge markets being the other main markets in Kigali.

 

Main Food Suppliers

Maize, Beans and Sorghum are the most consumed food crops that can be found in bulk in Rwanda.  In the year 2012, market surpluses of 227,500 mt of beans and 341, 250 mt Maize were recorded. Most of the maize meal locally produced is exported into DRC, with domestic demand standing at 80,000 mt per year. Production of small mills and main milling plant MINIMEX stands at 72,000 mt per year.

The maize and beans value chain are comprised of several stages and actors. The main actors in the maize and beans value chains are farmers, traders (distributors, wholesalers and retailers), millers and consumers.

The private sector commodity trade is dominated by a few relatively large local buyers and agro processors.. The major three importers of cereals were Bakhresa Grain Milling (Rwanda) Limited; Pembe flour mills (Rwanda); SARL, which is a processor; and MINAGRIm which focuses on whole grains and rebuilding the national strategic grain reserve.

Through the Clinton Health Access Initiative, there are plans to set up a Corn Soya Blend manufacturing plant. Production is expected to commence in September 2016. Currently, Corn Soya Blend is mostly imported from South Africa and Europe. A local company, SOSOMA Industries Limited, supplies blended food to the government on a small scale.

Sugar Production barely meets local demand. Kabuye Sugar Works is Rwanda’s sole sugar maker, producing about 30 per cent of the market supply. The factory currently produces 10,000 mt of sugar annually. (Source: Institute of Policy Analysis and Research - Rwanda) 

 

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following links:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC) Information on Rwanda 

National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda

USAID Food Assistance Fact Sheet-Rwanda

For contact information on suppliers in Rwanda, please see the following link: 4.9 Rwanda Supplier Contact List

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities. Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

 

Vehicle Rental 

There is only one internationally recognised car rental agency in Rwanda, based at Kigali Airport. 

 

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.