The directive, issued on January 14, 2026, requires that all short codes, those familiar numbers starting with * and ending with #, used for mobile banking, bill payments, health services, and government portals, be fully operational on MTN Rwanda, Airtel Rwanda, and KTRN before going live.
Previously, many short codes were tied to a single network, frustrating users who had to carry multiple SIM cards or remember different codes for the same service. With the new rule, RURA is ensuring interoperability and eliminating what many have called the “double SIM headache.”
{{What this means for businesses and citizens
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For businesses and citizens, the directive brings significant changes. Short code holders are now required to make their services accessible across all networks, ending the era of network discrimination. A code that previously worked only for MTN users, for instance, must also function for Airtel and KTRN customers by 15 February 2026.
Achieving this will require technical coordination between service providers and all licensed operators to ensure full integration and seamless accessibility. The move also strengthens consumer protection by preventing exclusive agreements between a service provider and a single network, guaranteeing that essential services are available to everyone, regardless of which SIM card they use.
USSD codes are the backbone of digital services in Rwanda. They are widely used for mobile money transfers, airtime top-ups, banking, and government services, particularly by those without smartphones or internet access. Banking codes such as *334# (Bank of Kigali) and *555# (Equity Bank) will now be universally accessible.
According to RURA Director General Evarest Rugigana, the directive was issued in the “interest of ensuring interoperability, non-discriminatory access, consumer protection and efficient delivery of electronic communication services.”
He warned that non-compliance by the February 15 deadline could result in enforcement measures or sanctions under Rwandan law.
The injectable drug, lenacapavir, is expected to be introduced in the last quarter of the year after the completion of regulatory approvals and preparations at health facilities. The medication is administered once every six months and will be incorporated into the country’s existing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programme.
Dr Zephanie Nzeyimana, the HIV Key Population Strategic Officer at RBC, told The New Times that the planned timeline allows sufficient time to ensure the health system is ready for the new prevention method.
“Lenacapavir is expected to be available in the country in quarter four of this year. There are still processes that need to be finalised before it can be introduced at health facilities,” he said.
Once rolled out, the injection will be offered alongside existing PrEP options, including daily oral PrEP and long-acting injectable cabotegravir. Authorities say the addition of lenacapavir will give people more choice, which could help improve access to and sustained use of HIV prevention services.
Eligibility for the six-month injection will be determined using a risk-based approach. Priority will be given to people at substantial risk of HIV infection, including female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and HIV-negative individuals in sero-discordant relationships, where one partner is living with HIV and the other is not.
However, Dr Nzeyimana noted that access will not be limited to these groups. Healthcare providers will assess individual risk based on behavioural and epidemiological factors to identify others who could benefit from the drug.
Currently, Rwanda provides two main types of HIV prevention medication: a daily oral pill and a bimonthly injectable option that is now being rolled out in Kigali. The new biannual injection is expected to reduce dosing frequency and improve adherence, particularly among key populations at high risk of HIV.
Lenacapavir, developed by U.S. pharmaceutical firm Gilead Sciences, has undergone clinical trials and has been approved to provide continuous HIV prevention for six months per injection. Individuals who receive the injection on schedule remain fully protected throughout that period. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended its use during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference held in Kigali in July last year.
The WHO recommendation followed the drug’s first global approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration on June 18, 2025.
RBC has confirmed that lenacapavir will be provided free of charge, regardless of a person’s ability to pay. To support the rollout, RBC and its partners plan to train healthcare providers and conduct community outreach to raise awareness about the new prevention option and address potential misinformation.
In Rwanda, about 3,200 people contract HIV each year, while 2,600 die from AIDS-related illnesses. However, sustained prevention and treatment efforts have led to an 82 per cent reduction in new infections and an 86 per cent decline in HIV-related deaths over the past decade.
Rwanda’s move follows similar steps taken across Southern and Eastern Africa. Countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Eswatini have already completed regulatory approvals and received initial shipments of lenacapavir, while Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda have also authorised its use. Kenya and Namibia are among those finalising preparations or regulatory applications.
Since early 2025, leaders of the two churches have conducted consultations across various regions of the DRC, several African countries, and Qatar, engaging with different stakeholders on ways to achieve lasting peace in the country.
These efforts were part of preparations for a new peace dialogue that the churches intended to facilitate, bringing together Congolese from different backgrounds in Kinshasa, including opponents of the government such as the AFC/M23 coalition.
Senior church leaders have repeatedly stressed that resolving the DRC’s long-standing crises requires inclusive peace talks that exclude no Congolese group. However, they say the Tshisekedi administration has ignored this approach.
From December 2025, President Tshisekedi made three trips to Angola, where he asked President João Lourenço to help organize new peace talks involving Congolese stakeholders, including representatives of AFC/M23.
Tshisekedi reportedly expressed a preference for the Catholic and Anglican Churches to participate as stakeholders rather than serve as facilitators, a position seen as undermining the churches’ year-long preparations.
Government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya has maintained that any Congolese dialogue must be held in Kinshasa. He also argued that the churches’ initiative lacks credibility because they have not publicly condemned the actions of AFC/M23 in eastern DRC.
On January 14, 2026, President Lourenço met with senior Catholic and Anglican leaders from the DRC. According to his office, discussions focused on the deteriorating security situation in eastern Congo.
Sources familiar with the meeting said the church leaders told Lourenço they would not participate in the Kinshasa-led talks unless the Catholic and Anglican Churches were given a leading role.
The conflicting positions between President Tshisekedi’s government and the two churches highlight the difficulty of convening an inclusive national dialogue. Analysts warn that even if the talks go ahead, their impact may be limited if key actors remain excluded from the process.
Polling stations opened across the country amid heightened security and logistical delays. In some areas, voting began after 7 a.m. local time due to late arrivals of materials and temporary issues with biometric voter identification machines. Despite the delays, citizens formed lines outside polling stations to exercise their right to vote.
Diaspora voters, including Ugandans residing in Rwanda, were advised to travel home to cast their ballots ahead of the general election.
“The Uganda High Commission in Kigali would like to notify the public that there are no provisions for Ugandans in Rwanda to cast their votes from the High Commission and therefore advised to travel and exercise their duty as citizens and cast their votes from their respective homes where they registered,” a notice seen by IGIHE reads.
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, who has led Uganda since 1986, faces seven other presidential candidates, including musician-turned-politician Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. The candidates have campaigned across the country, appealing particularly to younger voters concerned about economic opportunities, job creation, and social development.
Voters are also selecting more than 500 members of parliament and other local government officials. Polls are scheduled to close at 4 p.m. local time (3 p.m. Kigali time), with the electoral commission expected to announce results within 48 hours, in line with constitutional requirements.
The election takes place amid a temporary suspension of public internet access, implemented by the Uganda Communications Commission. Authorities said the measure was intended to limit misinformation and ensure the integrity of the vote.
At various polling stations in the capital, Kampala, and other towns, voters expressed determination to participate. Ronald Tenywa, a university researcher, said, “If we vote for someone who cares, things will be better for Uganda.” Juliet Zawedde, an 18-year-old first-time voter, emphasized the importance of a democratic process, saying, “Any succession should happen fairly and give others a chance to lead.”
The United Nations Human Rights Office highlighted the importance of access to information and communication for genuine participation in elections, urging that all Ugandans be able to take part in shaping the future of their country.
Security presence was visible in many towns, including Kampala and Jinja, to ensure the safety of voters. Authorities urged citizens to maintain peace and civility at polling stations.
Simon Byabakama, chairperson of Uganda’s electoral commission, called for tolerance, saying, “Even if you know that this person does not support your candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to exercise his or her constitutional right.”
Past elections in Uganda have been marked by violence and unrest. Ahead of this year’s vote, opposition candidate Bobi Wine has raised concerns about potential vote rigging, though Museveni’s administration has dismissed these allegations.
The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) reports that construction of a flagship center dedicated to promoting agricultural mechanization is now at an advanced stage, paving the way for domestic production of such equipment.
Overall construction is approximately 80% complete, with all major buildings finished. Remaining tasks include finishing works and equipment installation, though progress has been temporarily halted.
The center is being established as a regional model for modern agriculture through a Rwanda-India partnership, funded by a loan from India’s Exim Bank. It forms part of the Export Targeted Irrigation (ETI) project, which encompasses the development of a demonstration hub for advanced agricultural machinery and equipment.
While building construction is nearly complete, equipment installation is only about 10% done. The facility is located in Kicukiro District, on the RAB site in Rubirizi.
RAB Acting Director General Dr. Florence Uwamahoro emphasized that the center will be pivotal in advancing modern agriculture and livestock production.
It will function as a hub for research on agricultural machinery, training for value-chain stakeholders, and testing and certification of equipment quality, services that will also extend to neighboring countries.
Once operational, the center will produce modern farming machines and assemble imported components locally. This will cover equipment for land preparation, weeding, planting, harvesting, and post-harvest handling, with significant portions of production and assembly conducted in Rwanda.
Dr. Uwamahoro noted that the facility will support mechanized agriculture tailored to Rwanda’s terrain and farming conditions.
Machinery will be tested on local soils for suitability before distribution to farmers. The center will also conduct research-based evaluations, quality assurance testing, and potentially offer regional services.
During a site visit on Wednesday, members of Parliament’s Committee on Budget and State Patrimony learned that construction stalled due to financial troubles faced by the original contractor, whose parent companies in India went bankrupt, leading to contract termination.
A new contractor must now be selected to complete the remaining works and install equipment. Per the Exim Bank financing agreement, contractors must be Indian, with the bank providing a shortlist of at least three candidates for Rwanda’s selection.
Officials informed lawmakers that delays stemmed partly from slow procedures at Exim Bank, but a new shortlist is expected by February 2026, enabling work to resume. The remaining tasks are projected to take about 10 months, after which the center should become operational.
The facility will feature training buildings, research laboratories, exhibition spaces for agricultural machinery innovations, testing and evaluation units, assembly workshops, and quality control laboratories.
The project agreement was signed in 2013, with implementation starting in 2015. Rwanda began repaying the loan in 2020 on a semi-annual schedule. Concerns have been raised about repayments starting before the project yields benefits, given the extended delays.
Rwanda and India are holding ongoing discussions to expedite completion, ensuring the center can soon deliver its intended impact on agricultural modernization.
After senators Josh Hawley and Todd Young reversed their position and left the chamber deadlocked 50-50, U.S. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote on a procedural motion, derailing the measure that would have required the president to obtain congressional approval before taking further military action in the oil-rich South American nation.
Young, who had been in talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, told CNN on Wednesday that he received “fairly extensive personal assurances” from the Trump administration over the U.S. role in Venezuela.
Young said the White House will “come to Congress” and seek congressional approval before “any major military operation in Venezuela,” adding that Rubio would testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee later this month, according to a CNN report.
Hawley also said Wednesday that Rubio assured him that there would not be ground troops sent to Venezuela and that the administration would seek congressional approval if that changed.
The resolution was introduced in the wake of a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. Senate last week voted 52 to 47 to advance the war powers resolution.
Trump had publicly criticized the five Republicans who joined all Democrats to back the bill, saying they “should never be elected to office again.”
The president also called each of the five senators to vent his frustration over their votes, said a report from The Hill.
According to notices issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Iran closed its airspace to most flights during two separate periods early Thursday, allowing only aircraft with prior approval from Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation (CAO).
Flight tracking data showed only a handful of aircraft flying over the country at the time, with many rerouting around its borders. The airspace was fully reopened around 7:00am local time.
Neither the FAA nor Iran’s aviation authority immediately commented on the restrictions.
The temporary closures came as US President Donald Trump warned of potential action against Iran following a deadly crackdown on antigovernment protests.
In response to rising tensions, the United States and the United Kingdom withdrew some military personnel from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after Iranian officials warned that US forces in the region could be targeted if an attack occurred.
Several countries have since issued travel and security advisories to their citizens in the Middle East. Trump later appeared to ease his tone, saying he had received assurances that the killings of protesters in Iran had stopped.
Aviation safety group OpsGroup warned that such airspace restrictions may indicate increased military activity, including risks linked to missile launches or heightened air defence operations, which could endanger civilian aircraft.
Iran’s airspace safety has remained under scrutiny since 2020, when its air defences mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet shortly after take-off from Tehran, killing all 176 people on board.
A later investigation concluded the aircraft had been misidentified amid heightened tensions with the United States.
The demonstration, named “Greenland Belongs to the Greenlanders,” began at 4 p.m. local time (1500 GMT) in front of the embassy and was later moved by police to the opposite side of the street. The protest lasted around two hours.
“We only want to be ourselves. We want to belong to Greenland as Greenlanders, and we will stay strong and committed to that,” a Greenlander, Andersen, told Xinhua.
“Nobody should be able to take over another country – not because someone thinks they are strong and therefore can take whatever they want,” said Simon Vincent Nelson, a Copenhagen resident, adding that he was “very angry about it and felt offended.”
The rally followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed remarks to acquire Greenland, which have been firmly rejected by Denmark, Greenland, and NATO allies.
The retreat reflects a deliberate shift in mindset as the Group positions 2026 as a defining year for consolidating gains and scaling impact.
Leadership described the coming year as one where execution would fully align with the Group’s core identity, rather than mere intention.
At the heart of this vision lies institutionalization, seen as the essential bedrock for preserving value, deepening established platforms, and building a robust leadership pipeline across Africa.
Nonso Okpala, Group Managing Director and CEO of VFD Group, underscored the uncompromising priority of profitability during the discussions.
“For VFD Group, which is an African investment company, the mindset in 2026 is institutionalization,” he stated. “It is about preserving what we have built, deepening what we have established, and enhancing our leadership bench. Our stock in trade is leadership, our people. We must transform skilled individuals into remarkable leaders capable of building great companies. As our ecosystem continues to grow, the firepower we need comes from placing leaders in companies where they can perform exceptionally.”
He further emphasized that while the Group recently concluded a ₦50 billion capital raise, capital must be matched with governance and leadership discipline to unlock sustainable value.
“We just concluded a N50 billion capital raise that provides the firepower to better express ourselves and seize opportunities. But capital alone isn’t enough. We must broaden our ecosystem, capacitate our leaders within respective companies, and institutionalize governance as a strategic tool to strengthen our businesses and enhance returns,” he said.
{{Kigali as a blueprint for execution}}
The choice of Kigali as the retreat location was intentional. Rwanda’s transformation journey served as both inspiration and a practical reference point for disciplined execution and long-term thinking.
“As a Black African, Rwanda is a poster child for progress and what’s possible on this continent,” Okpala noted. “Having this meeting here is indicative of our stage of maturity. We want to draw from the lessons they’ve embedded, the pride and aspiration they represent, and identify with the possibilities that exist across Africa.”
{{Turning strategy into daily action}}
“The Group’s ambition is clear: value creation and execution,” Anadu explained. “For Ghana, we break that down into trackable targets—daily, monthly, annually. Employees buy-in is essential; when people own the vision, execution becomes organic. We conduct daily operational reviews, weekly assessments, and monthly sit-downs to review what’s working, what’s not, and remain flexible. And crucially, we celebrate every win, no matter how small, it keeps us motivated and focused.”
Executives also explored practical ways to translate the Group’s overarching strategy into tangible results at the subsidiary level.
Chinelo Anadu, Managing Director of VFD Ghana, stressed the importance of execution discipline and fostering employee ownership.
“The Group’s ambition is clear: value creation through flawless execution,” she said.
“In Ghana, we translate that into trackable targets on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. Employee buy-in is crucial, when people truly own the vision, execution becomes organic. We conduct daily operational reviews, weekly assessments, and monthly sit-downs to review what’s working, what’s not, and remain flexible. And crucially, we celebrate every win, no matter how small, it keeps us motivated and focused.”
Chioma Esike, Managing Director, Herel Global, highlighted the need to remove limiting mindsets that hinder scale.
“The bottleneck we must remove is not thinking big,” Esike asserted. “Too often, we have opportunities to think beyond scope but limit ourselves to conventional ways of operating. That mindset is a key hindrance to scaling and growth, and we’re laser-focused on eliminating it in 2026,” Esike said.
{{2026 strategic priorities}}
At the core of VFD Group’s 2026 vision are three interconnected priorities: driving profitability through strategic capital deployment, leveraging the recent ₦50 billion raise to seize opportunities and deliver superior returns; institutionalizing leadership by developing skilled professionals into visionary builders of enduring companies; and embedding governance as a core strategic element to fortify businesses and protect stakeholder value.
VFD Group stands as an African investment company dedicated to building continental capacity and creating platforms that enable the realization of strategic objectives.
With a diverse portfolio spanning multiple sectors, the Group remains steadfast in its commitment to nurturing exceptional leadership and generating sustainable value throughout its ecosystem.
Ambassador Al Hajri succeeds the late Misfer bin Faisal Al-Shahwani, who passed away in July 2024, while Ambassador Nakajo replaces Isao Fukushima, who had served since 2023.
Addressing the media after submitting his credentials, Ambassador Al Hajri highlighted the strong ties between Rwanda and Qatar and outlined his priorities for cultural and economic cooperation.
“Qatar and Rwanda have a very special relationship. We’ll start by completing the investments already underway, including the new airport and aviation projects, which will form the backbone for future investments,” he said.
Ambassador Nakajo echoed the sentiment, emphasising Rwanda-Japan collaboration across multiple sectors.
“I will commit myself to widening our relationship in any aspect, from economic and business to culture and human exchanges. Rwanda already offers a top business environment in Africa, and I aim to encourage more Japanese businesses to invest here,” he said.
Rwanda’s partnership with Qatar includes a planned 49% stake acquisition by Qatar Airways in RwandAir and a 60% investment in the new Kigali International Airport in Bugesera, set to open in 2027. Japan’s engagement spans nearly six decades and includes a 14 billion Yen loan to support education and a $20 million water pipeline in Kigali, improving access to clean water.
The accreditation of the two ambassadors underscores Rwanda’s expanding diplomatic and economic engagement with Asia and the Middle East, laying the groundwork for deeper investment, cultural exchange, and long-term cooperation.
