Briefing Paper

Disentangling the Broadband Divide in Rwanda: Supply-side vs Demand-side

The Rwandan telecommunications sector has shown particularly strong growth in
recent years, due to a vibrant economy and championing of Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) at the highest level. ICT is a central engine to
driving Rwanda’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy. However despite a number of policy and regulatory initiatives aimed at improving broadband access and use, broadband demand remains
relatively low, with the majority of Rwandans unable to access mobile broadband services
Internet access remains unaffordable to the majority of Rwandans despite the relatively strong performance of mobile broadband products. This policy briefing focuses on the affordability of internet access and data in Rwanda.