Innovation & Emerging Technologies Directorate General
Rwanda aspires to become the leading ICT Hub in Africa by establishing conducive innovation ecosystem with competitive startups which supply high quality and high value ICT-products and services for the continent and for the global markets.
7th
Country in Africa (99th globally); Global Innovation Index (2018)
$2 billion
Kigali Innovation City project
7
World-class universities join Kigali Innovation City
About the Department
The department focuses on guidance in adopting cashless transactions, guidance on creative industries development, strategies or guidelines relating Local content promotion, Support to start-ups (Incubation, Mentoring), Innovation promotion and Technology testing support.
Key Achievements
ICT and Innovation
Rwanda aspires to become the leading ICT Hub in Africa by establishing conducive innovation ecosystem with competitive startups which supply high quality and high value ICT-products and services for the continent and for the global markets. This aspiration requires strengthening various different components which comprise innovation ecosystem. One of the important components is socio-economic condition which value innovation and learning from failures. This cultural shift requires significant change in the mind-set of the people, especially among the youth. Another important component is human resource development which results in the creation of highly educated and skilled workforce. Significant investment in R&D, establishment of appropriate financing mechanisms, implementation of conducive policy and regulation, identification of niche but targeted market environment, and creation of ICT and innovation fostering infrastructure are among many other components which comprise of strong innovation ecosystem.
KIGALI INNOVATION CITY
Kigali Innovation City (KIC) is a project with an aim of becoming innovation hub for the region. This project is an important component for Rwanda’s ambition to become an ICT Hub for the continent. The project, valued at $2 billion and located in Kigali’s Special Economic Zone, is set to accommodate world-class universities/R&D centres, technology companies, and innovative startups on 70 hectares of land.
It also strives to become best home in Africa for multinational technology companies to domicile their offices, bring their technologies and skills, and conduct the innovation necessary to create optimized products and services for the African market.
Africa50, a Pan-African infrastructure investment firm backed by the African Development Bank Group, announced in November that it will invest $400 million (about FRW348.9 billion) in Kigali Innovation City to boost Rwanda’s efforts to become a technology hub.
The Africa50 will also work on what is known as the Digital Innovation Precinct, which is a facility that will house all the technology companies in KIC. Africa50 will focus on the real estate portion of the project, including building retail and commercial complexes.
UNIVERSITIES AND R&D INSTITUTIONS
Nurturing talent is one of the most foundations for creating strong innovation ecosystem. Apart from strengthening local Universities and R&D institutions, Rwanda has been attracting world class universities such as Carnegie-Mellon University-Africa (CMU-A), African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Africa Leadership Universities (ALU), Milken Institute, International Centre for the Theoretical Physics, etc. The number of these institutions are growing rapidly attracting national, continental, and global talents to Rwanda. The human resources fostered by these premier institutions will become the leaders of innovation ecosystem.
Examples of Innovative ICT solutions:
Trade and Industry
Transport
Governance
Agriculture
Health
e-commerce
JUSTICE
Fore more information, read the ICT Sector profile 2018.