When most people think about Rwanda, what immediately comes to mind is genocide. Yes, in 1994, Rwanda, a country with two major ethnic groups (Hutus and Tutsis), witnessed one of the worst genocides in world history. Over 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis were killed in during that period.1 No doubt, that event was a significant watershed in the history of Rwanda.
However since that event, Rwanda, under the leadership of Paul Kagame, has tried to move on. And over the last 20 years, the tiny African nation has earned a name for itself as an African technology powerhouse.
Despite its size and population, the country is presently leading the continent in the adoption and development of a few interesting technologies. From developing robust telecom infrastructures to adopting drone technology, Rwanda is at the forefront.
Let’s take a look at why the country has taken this route. Why has it made technological advancement, innovations and investment a centrepiece policy?
Why Rwanda Pays Attention to Technology
When most countries come out of a crisis, the government focuses its resources on infrastructural development and rebuilding the economy. And Rwanda was no different.
From the ashes of the genocide, the Rwandan government has done a lot of work over the last 24 years to revive the economy. Under the leadership of former rebel leader, Paul Kagame, the country has remained relatively peaceful, an important ingredient for economic growth.
However development planning in Rwanda is limited by natural forces. The country is landlocked and is quite small in size. It also has no highly valuable natural resources such as gold, uranium, diamonds or oil.
“This means the only way for us to move forward and to build our future is to empower people and make good use of technology,” said Claudette Irere, director general at Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and Information and Communication Technology.2
As a result, this forced the country to focus on niche tech market to grow its economy. It technological pursuits were laid down in its “Vision 2020” goals.3 These are strategies it seeks to transform the country from a low-income, agriculture-based economy to a knowledge-based, service-oriented economy with middle-income country status by 2020.
And these efforts have started yielding results. Between 2001 and 2014, the economy grew at an average 8% annually. And technology has been key to this growth.4
How Rwanda Leads Africa’s Technology Landscape
Since the introduction of Vision 2020 goals, Rwanda has prioritised technology in its development plans. Through infrastructural development, education and other support, technology is becoming mainstream in the country.
For Instance, in 2005 the country had limited telephony and internet access.5 But in 2013, the government signed a deal with South Korean company to develop 4G/LTE network for high high-speed Internet access to more than two-third of Rwandans within three years. By February 2018, 4G/LTE services is available in 95% of the country.6
Telecom services also got a huge boost through a $100 million investment that laced 4,500km fiber optics network across the country.7
Educational Support
Educationally, Rwanda put in place several projects and policies to increase the depth of technology among young people.
One example is the “One Laptop Per Child” project which aims to make ICT devices available across primary schools. Through government funding, the project has successfully provided 203,000 laptops to about 407 schools.8
Also, the government also struck a partnership agreement with the Rwandan branch of the Carnegie Mellon University. Through this partnership, the university will provide IT, electrical and computer engineering education and degree in the country.
And in 2018, the president, Paul Kagame, gave the green light to a partnership proposal from Andela. Through the partnership, the Nigerian company, will launch a Pan-African hub in the country.
Government Support for Tech Companies and Hubs
Now unlike other African countries, Rwanda’s government alone decides the country’s tech framework and activities. This is very unusual, and will most definitely stiffen innovation in the long run. However presently, it has helped the country direct its energy and resources that could be key to its future.
Over the years, the country has given a lot of support to tech initiatives and novel ventures in the country. For instance, in partnership with US startup, Zipline, the country started the world’s first ever national drone delivery program in 2016.
The government also signed a deal with South American company Positivo BGH, to produce “made in Rwanda” laptops. The company will produce 150,000 laptops yearly, based on the terms of the agreement.
And in admiration for its tech strides, the country’s capital has been host to quite a few tech conferences and summits, like the “Transform Africa Summit” hosted in May.