The engagement, held on October 16, 2026, brought together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly businesses operating in tourism, hospitality and related agricultural value chains.
Kataza targets women and young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, offering loans of up to Rwf25 million at an interest rate of 9%, compared with rates of between 17% and 19% for conventional loans, according to information shared during the event.
The facility is offered by I&M Bank Rwanda in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD).
The bank also presented Kwihaza, a financing facility targeting tomato, onion and avocado farmers, fish farmers and fish feed traders.
Kwihaza provides loans of up to Rwf150 million without collateral at an interest rate of 8%. The facility is offered in partnership with Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR), an organisation that works to expand access to financial services.
The engagement also featured business management training organised by I&M Bank Rwanda in partnership with Le Village de la Femme, an organisation that supports women entrepreneurs.
The training focused on improving financial management and helping business owners adopt professional practices in running their enterprises.
Gertrude Majyambere, Strategic Partnerships Manager at I&M Bank Rwanda Plc, said many entrepreneurs struggle to access financing because they lack proper financial records and systems for managing their businesses.
“Although we can provide guidance and advice, we often find that entrepreneurs have many things they have not yet organised or put in order. These include failing to distinguish between their personal accounts and business accounts, as well as not knowing how much they have invested or how much profit they have made,” she said.
Majyambere said separating personal and business finances and keeping track of investments and profits were essential practices that could help entrepreneurs manage their businesses more effectively and improve their chances of accessing credit.
She said Muhanga was selected for the engagement because of the area’s growing business activity.
“Some people lack information and do not know that affordable loans are available. Others do not know that they can access loans without providing collateral. These engagements give us an opportunity to reach more customers while helping the district benefit from having more entrepreneurs,” she said.
Mukarugwiro Florida, an avocado trader in Muhanga, said access to capital had been a challenge for businesses like hers.
“Sometimes we need capital but do not know where to go to get a loan. When you apply, you may be asked to provide collateral that you do not have, or you may have to go through a lengthy process to obtain it. I&M Bank could make things easier for us because we were told that they would assess the businesses we operate without requiring collateral,” she said.
I&M Bank launched Kataza in April 2024, with a three-year target of supporting 500 small and medium-sized enterprises and helping them create more than 15,000 jobs.
Figures released by the National Bank of Rwanda in October 2026 show that banks extended more than Rwf7 trillion in loans during the first six months of the year, with agriculture accounting for 5% of the total.
The engagement, held on October 16, 2026, brought together small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly businesses operating in tourism, hospitality and related agricultural value chains.Gertrude Majyambere, Strategic Partnerships Manager at I&M Bank Rwanda Plc, said many entrepreneurs struggle to access financing because they lack proper financial records and systems for managing their businesses.Wilson Muhirwa of Le Village de la Femme conducted a training session for small and medium-sized business owners in Muhanga District.
Speaking on the Dossier Podcast, Coulibaly argued that international reporting often overlooks the historical persecution of Congolese Tutsi communities, the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the consequences of genocide ideology in the Great Lakes region.
Her remarks come amid renewed uncertainty over peace efforts in eastern DRC, where fighting has continued despite ceasefire commitments and international mediation. The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) have also been reorganised under a new political-military coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), led by former Congolese president Joseph Kabila.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), the political coalition linked to the M23 rebel movement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), has been replaced by a new political-military organisation led by former president Joseph Kabila.
The development has raised fresh questions about the future of negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, even as President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration faces renewed accusations of lacking the commitment and good faith needed to support peace initiatives, alongside scrutiny over its use of foreign mercenaries in the conflict.
Coulibaly challenged journalists and researchers to investigate events on the ground rather than rely on narratives that may reflect particular political interests.
“Being easily manipulated is also a choice,” she said, arguing that African conflicts are sometimes approached with less investigative depth than events in Europe and the United States.
A personal history shaped by war
Coulibaly’s interest in conflict is partly rooted in her experience of the Bosnian war, which began in 1992.
Born in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1980s, she was about 11 when her family fled their home near Sarajevo. They moved through Serbia and Croatia before travelling through Austria and Italy and eventually settling in France as political refugees.
She recalled her father asking her to choose one item from her bedroom before leaving home.
“I looked at my room and thought, what is that one thing I can take with me? Of course, I was 11 years old. I took a teddy bear with me and we left,” she said.
The family experienced bombing and sought shelter before fleeing. Their time as refugees exposed them to hunger, family separation and difficult living conditions.
Coulibaly said these experiences shaped her understanding of conflict and prompted her to examine how political ideologies and ethnic divisions can lead to mass violence.
Coulibaly says she has regularly visited eastern DRC for nearly four years, spending extended periods investigating the conflict and speaking with people in affected communities.
The Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 and the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia in 1995 further influenced her thinking about international responses to mass atrocities.
She questioned why the international community failed to prevent the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, arguing that geopolitical interests have often influenced decisions about when and where to intervene.
“Genocide is a crime against humanity,” she remarked, emphasising that its consequences extend beyond the country or community directly targeted.
The history behind eastern DRC’s conflict
Coulibaly said her interest in eastern DRC developed over approximately two decades, initially through academic literature and documentaries before she began regularly visiting the region.
Her research into language, political communication and ideology led her to question how the conflict was presented in academic publications and media reports.
She said she began noticing rhetoric in late 2021 that reminded her of language used before the Genocide against the Tutsi.
According to Coulibaly, some accounts of eastern DRC give insufficient attention to the FDLR, an armed group formed by the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, who fled into what was then Zaire after the genocide.
She argued that the group’s continued presence and activities should be considered when examining the region’s security challenges and the persecution of Congolese Tutsi communities.
Coulibaly also criticised accounts that trace the region’s recent history to the First Congo War of 1996–1997, framing the overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko as a “Rwanda invasion” while overlooking the wider historical and political context.
She argued that beginning the narrative at that point can obscure earlier developments, including the flight of genocide perpetrators into Zaire and the subsequent attacks and insecurity affecting communities in the region.
“Once you start the story at a specific moment, it tells a completely different story,” she said, invoking the idea of a single narrative that can distort complex historical realities.
Her argument is that the region’s history should be examined in its entirety rather than through an account that focuses exclusively on one phase of the conflict.
The conflict in eastern DRC has displaced many families over the years.
Media bias and the portrayal of suffering
Coulibaly was critical of a tendency among journalists and academics to repeat existing accounts without adequately verifying the information.
She argued that such practices can allow particular political narratives to become accepted explanations of complex conflicts, even when important historical context is missing.
She also questioned the tendency to portray eastern DRC primarily through images of violence, displacement and suffering.
Recalling conversations with foreign journalists covering the conflict, she described how some viewed witnessing killings as a successful reporting day.
“That’s a good day. It’s a day where they collected something that is worth reporting on,” she said, recounting the attitude she encountered.
Coulibaly argued that this emphasis on dramatic violence leaves less room for stories about the experiences, choices and aspirations of people living in the region.
She said her own fieldwork seeks to document those experiences, including the motivations of people who join armed movements and the daily lives of communities affected by conflict.
However, broadening coverage to include community experiences and resilience does not diminish the need to investigate civilian harm and alleged abuses by all parties.
Coulibaly also questioned the methods used by international organisations when documenting developments in eastern DRC, arguing that telephone interviews and satellite imagery may be insufficient without adequate local investigation and independent verification.
She alleged that some accounts were influenced by individuals with political interests, including actors aligned with authorities in Kinshasa.
Such allegations require independent evidence. Disagreement with the findings of international organisations does not, by itself, establish that their reports are fabricated.
Nevertheless, Coulibaly maintained that journalists and researchers should scrutinise their sources, cross-check competing accounts and be transparent about their methods.
“People don’t take the time,” she said, arguing that African conflicts are sometimes approached with insufficient investigative depth.
Confrontation between DRC allied forces and M23 rebels has continued despite ceasefire commitments and international mediation.
Ceasefire commitments and the search for peace
The debate over how eastern DRC is reported comes as diplomatic efforts have struggled to end the fighting.
In August 2026, the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 alliance agreed on a roadmap setting out steps and timelines for further negotiations under the Doha peace framework. However, fighting continued in parts of South Kivu, underscoring the challenges facing efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire.
The African Union’s panel of facilitators subsequently urged the parties to honour their commitments, respect the ceasefire and cooperate with mechanisms intended to monitor compliance.
The conflict has also entered a new political phase following the formation of the FRN under Kabila’s leadership in October. The rebranding is reportedly intended to present the movement as a broader national political project rather than an alliance primarily associated with eastern DRC. The coalition has said it intends to maintain commitments made during the Doha negotiations.
For Coulibaly, the persistence of conflict reinforces the need to examine the historical roots of violence, including the activities of armed groups and the treatment of communities targeted because of their identity.
Genocide ideology and ethnic discrimination
A central theme in Coulibaly’s analysis is the persistence of ethnic discrimination and genocide ideology in the Great Lakes region.
She traced some of these tensions to colonial-era racial classifications, which hardened social distinctions and contributed to the politicisation of identity.
Coulibaly also cited historical episodes in which Congolese Tutsi were denied recognition as members of the country’s national community, arguing that questions of nationality and belonging have contributed to recurring violence.
She warned that failing to confront discrimination and rhetoric that legitimises violence against particular communities risks perpetuating cycles of insecurity.
In her view, genocide ideology is not confined to national borders. Individuals and movements carrying extremist beliefs can operate across countries, making the issue a broader regional and international concern.
She urged researchers and journalists to examine how historical violence, contemporary political rhetoric and the treatment of minority communities intersect.
Taking research to the ground
Coulibaly said she has regularly visited eastern DRC for nearly four years, spending extended periods investigating the conflict and speaking with people in affected communities.
She said her approach involves questioning initial assumptions, cross-checking information and examining events directly rather than relying exclusively on second-hand accounts.
Her video reports with Burundian photojournalist Teddy Mazina are published through Conspiracy Tracker Great Lakes (CTGL), a platform they use to share field-based reporting. She has also published analytical work in outlets including The Pan-African Review.
Their work involves interviews, photography, translation and contextual analysis to make local experiences accessible to audiences unfamiliar with the region.
Coulibaly urged journalists and researchers to investigate the historical context of conflicts, scrutinise the language used to describe them and give people directly affected by violence an opportunity to explain their experiences.
“Once you understand realities, once you understand what is really happening, you can’t just go back,” she said.
For her, understanding eastern DRC requires looking beyond familiar narratives, examining the evidence behind competing explanations and recognising the human consequences of the stories through which the region is presented to the world.
Flight OS82, an Airbus A320, landed safely in Sofia on Sunday, October 18, with 51 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the airline and Bulgarian authorities.
The aircraft was diverted as it approached the Romanian border after its crew reported receiving a bomb threat signal, Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry said.
“During the flight, on the border with Romania, the crew reported a bomb threat signal and decided to land in Sofia extraordinarily,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Bulgarian Air Force deployed a MiG-29 fighter jet to accompany the aircraft to Sofia Airport as part of established emergency procedures. The operation was coordinated with NATO’s Combined Air Operations Centre in Spain, according to Anadolu Agency.
Passengers were evacuated after the aircraft landed, and security teams began inspecting the plane. Bulgarian authorities also established a crisis response team to coordinate the response and investigate the incident.
Austrian Airlines confirmed that the threat had forced the flight to stop in Sofia and said passengers would be accommodated on alternative flights while security checks were conducted.
“Once the search of the aircraft is complete, the passengers will be rebooked onto alternative flights as quickly as possible,” the airline said.
No danger was found after security checks. In an update on Monday, Austrian Airlines said searches of the aircraft, passengers and crew in Sofia found no danger.
The flight subsequently continued from Sofia to Vienna with all passengers on board after they reboarded the aircraft, according to the airline.
Earlier reports by Israeli media said the warning had allegedly come from an Austrian citizen who claimed there was a bomb on the aircraft. The person was reportedly not travelling on the flight. The circumstances surrounding the threat remain subject to investigation.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation security following an attack on a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. During the flight, the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an axe and attempted to crash the aircraft, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The plane was carrying about 180 people, mostly Israelis, all of whom survived.
Following the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a review of security arrangements for foreign commercial flights to Israel. An Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson also said the country would strengthen security checks on pilots operating flights into Israel, including those employed by foreign airlines.
The motive behind the attack on the Flydubai flight remains under investigation. Israeli officials have, however, raised concerns about possible extremist influences.
An Austrian Airlines flight travelling from Tel Aviv to Vienna was forced to make an emergency landing in Bulgaria after a bomb threat was reported on board, prompting the Bulgarian Air Force to scramble a fighter jet to escort the aircraft.
The latest case involves a 49-year-old man who worked as a patient attendant at a hospital where Kenya’s first Ebola patient had received treatment.
“Today, 38 people were tested, and one tested positive for Ebola,” Kenya’s Director General for Health, Dr. Patrick Amonth said on Saturday.
The newly infected man reportedly developed fever, headache and muscle pain. He was not a healthcare worker but had worked as a patient attendant, cleaning utensils and linens at the hospital.
The patient is believed to have contracted the virus through contact with Kenya’s first confirmed case, a man who travelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Uganda and died at a Nairobi hospital on October 5.
The latest infection brings Kenya’s total to eight confirmed cases, including the initial patient who died. Health authorities have been tracing people who came into contact with infected patients and monitoring them for symptoms.
The outbreak has prompted Kenya to strengthen screening at border points and airports, isolate suspected and confirmed cases, and expand surveillance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has supported Kenya’s response, including contact tracing and monitoring people exposed to the virus.
The WHO has said Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, or with objects contaminated by those fluids. It is not transmitted through the air.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no licensed vaccine. Treatment focuses on supportive care, including managing symptoms and preventing dehydration.
In the DRC, where the outbreak began, health authorities have confirmed 4,381 deaths among 9,066 cases spreading across eight provinces, while neighboring countries have stepped up border vigilance to prevent regional transmission.
Kenyan authorities have urged people who may have been exposed to the virus or who develop symptoms to seek medical attention and follow official public health guidance.
Kenya has been on heightened alert due to a major Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
“Those who destroyed must pay. Those who looted must reimburse,” Macron said in a televised address, pledging judicial proceedings over offenses committed during the violence.
He voiced support for law enforcement officers, elected officials and shopkeepers affected by the violence, adding that Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu would chair a crisis unit Monday to mobilize “the fastest possible assistance” and support those affected.
He called on the government to draw all the lessons from Saturday’s violence, particularly regarding intelligence gathering and anticipation, to ensure such incidents “cannot happen again.”
Meanwhile, Macron said he understood the “deep anxiety” expressed by young people in recent weeks at high schools and universities, adding that over the coming week, the government would work with students, teachers, trade unions, employers’ organizations and officials to develop responses to young people’s concerns.
Macron said the protests also reflected public concerns over the cost of living and fuel prices. He said the government was doing its utmost to address the key issue of residents’ purchasing power.
Around 550,000 people took part in protests across France on Saturday. According to local media reports, the demonstrations brought together farmers, climate activists, trade unions and students, who voiced demands concerning fuel prices, the cost of living, education and public services.
A total of 2,397 people were arrested during the protests, which were marred by violence, according to figures released by the French Interior Ministry on Sunday. A total of 997 police officers and gendarmes were injured, seven of them seriously.
Since September, France has witnessed multiple rounds of mass student protests demanding better educational conditions.
Around 550,000 people took part in protests across France on Saturday.
The Archdiocese of Guayaquil identified the priest as Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari, who served as parish priest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Guayaquil, a coastal city about 265 kilometres southwest of the capital, Quito.
Footage of the service on Saturday night shows the large crucifix mounted behind the altar suddenly detaching from the wall and falling onto Sánchez as he celebrated Mass. The priest appeared unaware of the falling object before it struck him near the altar.
Worshippers could be heard crying for help as the livestream continued, with the incident bringing the service to an abrupt halt.
The Archdiocese confirmed Sánchez’s death on Sunday, expressing condolences to his loved ones and members of the Catholic community.
Sánchez was a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1732 that operates in about 80 countries.
The cause of the crucifix’s collapse remains unclear. Local authorities have not publicly commented on the incident, while church officials have yet to provide an explanation for how the heavy structure became detached from the wall.
Padiri Patricio Alfredo Sánchez Molinari yagwiriwe n'umusaraba munini wo mu kiliziya ubwo yasomeraga misa muri Kiliziya ya Bikira Mariya Umutabazi, arapfa. pic.twitter.com/fMf1NLxSSp
Araghchi made the remarks in an interview with Iran’s official news agency IRNA on the sidelines of the 52nd Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
He said Iran’s conditions for ceasing hostilities and reopening the strait were “completely clear” and had been submitted to the United States under the seven-day plan.
Washington has presented its views on the plan, which Tehran is reviewing, he added.
“Iran’s plan is still on the table,” Araghchi said. “If they (the United States) meet those conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened on the sixth day, and negotiations will resume on the seventh.”
He said that Iran’s conditions were neither extraordinary nor unusual, adding that they were the same commitments “the United States had already committed itself in the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) and other negotiations.”
Araghchi emphasized that Iran will not bow to threats and is prepared to defend itself, while remaining ready to pursue diplomacy.
On February 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire was achieved between the warring parties on April 8. On June 18, Iran and the United States signed a MoU on ending the war in the region on all fronts.
Under the MoU, the two countries were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, ending on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program and the removal of sanctions. However, they failed to make sufficient progress toward a deal.
Vessels sail through the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 22, 2026.
The continental franchise brings together housemates from across French-speaking African countries in a high-stakes game of secrecy, strategy, and social dynamics.
Kabagire, widely known for hosting the fashion show InStyle on Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), is among the housemates competing for a grand prize of more than CFA francs 20 million (approximately Rwf50 million).
Now in its third season, the show features around 20 contestants representing 16 Francophone African nations. Previous winners include Ivorian model Awa Sanoko, who took home the crown in the inaugural 2024 season, and Niger’s Moctar, who won the second edition in 2025.
Filmed at a specialized studio complex in Johannesburg, South Africa, Secret Story Afrique places contestants in a fully monitored house where they are completely isolated from the outside world, without access to mobile phones or television.
Each contestant enters the house guarding a personal secret. To stay in the game and build the prize pot, participants must protect their own secrets while attempting to uncover those held by fellow housemates through observation, social maneuvering, and strategic guessing.
Produced by Banijay Entertainment S.A., the three-month season airs on CANAL+ Pop from Monday to Friday at 8:15 p.m., with a weekly recap episode broadcasting on CANAL+ Magic on Saturdays at 10:30 p.m.
Secret Story Afrique is the continental adaptation of the hit French reality television format, which debuted on TF1 in 2007 and has run across European networks including RTL Plug for nearly two decades.
Kabagire follows in the footsteps of fellow Rwandan France Mpundu, who represented the country in the second season, finishing fourth overall. Mpundu’s run made headlines beyond the game after she accepted a marriage proposal from eventual season winner Moctar during the show’s finale period.
Kabagire, widely known for hosting the fashion show InStyle on Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), is among the housemates competing for a grand prize of more than CFA francs 20 million (approximately Rwf50 million).
Two men in their 20s were reported infected in the Wapinda health zone, one of whom has died. The report did not specify the source of infection.
As of Friday, the country had recorded 9,415 confirmed cases, including 4,536 deaths, since the outbreak began in May, representing a case fatality rate of 48.2 percent.
The eastern province of Ituri remains the epicenter, accounting for more than 73 percent of all confirmed cases nationwide, followed by neighboring North Kivu Province. The outbreak has now affected 66 health zones across eight provinces.
Other affected provinces are Haut-Uele, Tshopo, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, and South Ubangi.
The Ebola outbreak declared in May has become the largest and deadliest ever recorded in the DRC and the second-largest Ebola outbreak globally, after the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic.
As of Friday, the country had recorded 9,415 confirmed cases, including 4,536 deaths, since the outbreak began in May, representing a case fatality rate of 48.2 percent.
The Energy Development Corporation Limited (EDCL), a subsidiary of Rwanda Energy Group (REG), has invited qualified independent power producers (IPPs) to apply for pre-qualification to develop, install, operate and maintain the facility.
The proposed plant forms part of Rwanda’s efforts to expand access to affordable, clean energy and strengthen electricity supply to support economic growth, industrial development and other productive uses.
According to a pre-qualification notice seen by IGIHE dated October 12, 2026, the project is intended to increase electricity generation from renewable sources, support productive activities such as irrigation and industrial operations, and improve the stability of Rwanda’s national electricity grid.
The selected investor will be responsible for the project’s design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning, as well as its operation and maintenance.
The planned infrastructure includes a floating solar photovoltaic system, battery storage facilities, a substation and a high-voltage transmission line connecting the plant to the national grid through a nearby substation on the 220-kilovolt transmission network.
The battery storage system will have a capacity of 800 megawatt-hours, equivalent to four hours of storage at the plant’s 200MW output.
It is expected to help shift solar-generated electricity to periods of higher demand, particularly during evening peak hours, while providing frequency and voltage support, reducing solar power curtailment and supporting grid recovery following certain outages.
Financial and technical requirements
EDCL is targeting experienced renewable energy developers with the technical expertise and financial capacity to deliver the project.
Applicants must demonstrate at least 10 years of experience in the design, supply, construction and management of renewable energy power plants.
They must also provide evidence of completed solar photovoltaic projects within the past decade. Experience in battery energy storage will be considered in the pre-qualification assessment, with higher scores awarded to applicants that have delivered larger solar and storage projects.
The notice sets a minimum average annual turnover of $300 million (about Rwf443 billion) for the 2023-2025 financial years. Applicants must also demonstrate access to at least $60 million in financial resources and a credit line of the same amount.
Companies may apply individually or form a joint venture, consortium or association with one other company, subject to the conditions set out in the pre-qualification documents.
The selection process will follow Rwanda’s Public Private Partnership guidelines dated July 16, 2018.
The notice provides for an 18-month implementation period covering the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the facility.
The project will operate under an independent power producer arrangement, with a long-term power purchase agreement involving Rwanda Energy Group’s subsidiary, the Energy Utility Corporation Limited (EUCL), as the electricity off-taker.
The plant’s operation and maintenance arrangements will fall under a 25-year power purchase agreement, according to the notice.
EDCL has scheduled a site visit for prospective applicants on October 23, 2026. The visit is intended to help potential investors assess the site and understand the project’s requirements.
Applications must be submitted electronically to EDCL by November 12, 2026, at 5 p.m. Kigali time.
Theoneste Higaniro, Director of Generation and Transmission at EDCL, told The New Times that Lake Sake was selected partly because of the Eastern Province’s year-round sunshine.
He added that the government was also considering installing floating solar panels at the planned Nyabarongo II hydropower dam, where a similar project could generate up to 200MW.
Rwanda is implementing a 10-year strategic plan covering 2024–2034 that requires an estimated $3.25 billion in investment to expand electricity generation, improve access and strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure.
REG aims to increase installed electricity generation capacity to 1,066 megawatts by 2034. In December 2025, the utility reported that capacity had reached 467.142MW, up from 238.36MW in the 2020/2021 financial year.
Solar power accounts for about 2.6% of Rwanda’s installed electricity generation capacity, with 12.08MW of grid-connected solar capacity out of a national total of 467.14MW reported by the Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in December 2025.
An illustrative image of a high-capacity floating photovoltaic (FPV) solar farm deployed across a lake reservoir, paired with an onshore Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and high-voltage grid infrastructure to demonstrate the future of integrated renewable energy.The 8.5MW solar power plant at Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwamagana, Eastern Province. Solar power accounts for about 2.6% of Rwanda’s installed electricity generation capacity.
