Kigali, July, 2022 – Rwanda acknowledges Japan cooperation in framework of the celebration 60 years’ anniversary of the partnership in the energy sector development.

The event was officiated by the Minister of Infrastructure Honourable Ernest NSABIMANA together with His Excellency Masahiro IMAI, the Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, who both toured electrical infrastructure projects supported by the government of Japan under this cooperation.

“I would like to express the government of Rwanda’s gratitude towards the support given by the government of Japan in the development of Rwanda’s infrastructure sector and many other sectors. The 3 projects have not only enabled us to stabilize our network and ensure reliability of power supply, but it has also helped us to upgrade our existing networks to reduce technical power losses”. The Minister noted.

The registered achievements through this cooperation contribute towards achieving Rwanda’s economic development goals. Since 2011, the Government of Japan has been supporting Rwanda’s energy sector to improve the quality of power supply and ensure the network reliability and stability, through a series of grants under a project dubbed “Improvement of Substation and Distribution Network with a total cost of 7,308,000,000 Japanese Yens. 

The project rehabilitated 3 substations in the City of Kigali (Birembo, Jabana and Gikondo) and 2 substations in the Eastern Province (Rwinkwavu and Musha). It also upgraded the 17km distribution network in Huye District from 6.6kV to 30kV. This has improved the quality of power supply and has led the reduction of power losses. 

The projects have created jobs and established various economic activities and in turn lower costs of doing business, while improving living standards.

"In Rwanda, infrastructure development including the energy sector is one of the priority areas of Japan's development cooperation policy. Japan will continue strengthening this cooperation to continuously stabilise power supply. “according to Japanese Amb. Masahiro IMAI”

We are delighted by our long term cooperation with Rwanda to achieve energy targets geared to accelerate  sustainable growth and economic development.

In connection with the economic development targets, the Government of Rwanda has embarked on a country-wide household connection to provide access to electricity and realizing its primary target of a 100% access by the year 2024 from the current rate of 71.92%.