Digital Reforms Could Connect Over 1 Million More People to Mobile Internet in Rwanda, GSMA Finds

Affordable smartphones, targeted digital skills programmes and services relevant to everyday life are key to extending digital inclusion among lower-income and rural communities

17 September 2026, Kigali: More than 1 million additional people in Rwanda could be using mobile internet by 2031 through reforms that make smartphones more affordable and digital services more accessible and relevant to everyday life, according to a new GSMA report released today.

The report, Rwanda Digital Economy: Policy reforms that will drive Rwanda's digital future, calls for targeted action to help lower-income and rural households benefit from the country's extensive mobile networks. Its recommendations focus on device affordability, digital skills, relevant content and services, and sustainable network investment.

The findings highlight a significant opportunity to build on Rwanda's strong digital infrastructure and ensure that more citizens can participate meaningfully in the digital economy, supporting the country's broader development ambitions under Vision 2050, the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the National Broadband Policy and Strategy.

Bringing the benefits of connectivity to more people

Rwanda has made significant progress in expanding connectivity, with 4G networks covering approximately 96% of the population and 3G coverage reaching 99%. The country also has some of the most affordable mobile data prices in East Africa.

However, just 21% of the population were unique mobile internet subscribers in 2025. This highlights a significant gap between network coverage and use. For many households, particularly in rural areas, the cost of a smartphone remains out of reach. Limited digital skills and a lack of services and content that people see as relevant to their lives also constrain adoption.

The findings come as the GSMA has separately called on chipset and memory manufacturers to improve the affordability of components for entry-level smartphones. Rising component costs risk putting smartphones and access to emerging AI tools further out of reach, particularly for people in low- and middle-income countries, reinforcing the need for action on device affordability.

The report argues that closing this usage gap requires policies designed around the needs of people who are not yet using mobile internet. Alongside affordability, this means helping people use digital services that offer practical value, including healthcare, agricultural information, financial services and government services.

Angela Wamola, Head of Africa, GSMA said: "Rwanda has built a strong digital foundation, but too many people still face barriers to using it. The next step is to make smartphones more affordable and ensure people have the skills and confidence to access services that matter to them. By focusing on the needs of lower-income and rural households, Rwanda can help more people benefit from connectivity and participate in its digital future."

A roadmap for wider digital inclusion

GSMA's analysis estimates that implementing the recommended reforms could connect approximately 1.07 million additional unique mobile internet subscribers by 2031 - 22.1% more than projected without the reforms.

Improved handset affordability and measures to make mobile internet more useful and relevant to everyday life are key drivers of this potential growth, particularly among lower-income and rural households.

The analysis also finds that increased digital adoption and wider economic activity could more than offset the costs of targeted tax reductions and affordability measures, delivering an estimated net annual fiscal benefit of RWF 218 billion by 2031.

A call for coordinated policy action

The report identifies four priorities for government and industry:

• Make smartphones more affordable: Expand private-sector-led device financing suited to lower-income and rural households. Assess the impact of recent tax changes and consider targeted reductions where evidence shows they are limiting affordability and adoption.
• Build practical digital skills: Strengthen training tailored to rural communities, focusing on applications people can use in their daily lives.
• Make digital services more relevant and accessible: Expand Kinyarwanda-language content and applications and promote useful digital government services. Preserve basic services for people using feature phones as more advanced services become available over mobile broadband.
• Support affordable, sustainable connectivity: Balance quality-of-service requirements with investment and affordability, and address electricity costs that put pressure on network operating costs and consumer prices.
  
  

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About GSMA

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.

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