By Rene Anthere Rwanyange
More than one million additional Rwandans could gain access to mobile internet by 2031 if the country adopts targeted digital reforms, according to a new report by the GSMA.
The report, Rwanda Digital Economy: Policy Reforms that Will Drive Rwanda’s Digital Future, estimates that the proposed reforms could add about 1.07 million unique mobile internet subscribers, representing a 22.1% increase over projections without the reforms.
The GSMA says Rwanda has strong digital infrastructure, with 4G coverage reaching about 96% of the population and 3G coverage 99%. However, only 21% of the population were unique mobile internet subscribers in 2025, showing a significant gap between network coverage and actual use.
The report identifies smartphone affordability, limited digital skills and a lack of relevant digital services as major barriers, particularly for lower-income and rural households.
GSMA recommends expanding affordable smartphone financing, strengthening practical digital skills programmes and increasing access to useful services in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, financial services and government services.
It also calls for more Kinyarwanda-language digital content and continued access to basic services for people using feature phones.
Angela Wamola, Head of Africa at GSMA, said Rwanda had built a strong digital foundation but many people still faced barriers to using it.
The report further estimates that greater digital adoption and economic activity could generate an annual net fiscal benefit of RWF218 billion by 2031, potentially offsetting the cost of targeted tax and affordability measures.
GSMA says coordinated action between government and industry will be needed to make smartphones more affordable, build digital skills, improve the relevance of online services and support sustainable investment in connectivity.
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive.
Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach.
This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today’s biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
