For Rasta, Saturdays start early in the salon where he rents a station in Kisimenti. Clippers in hand, his regulars trust his skill. In the corner, Clemence the braider keeps her fast hands and quick jokes going. Her work is flawless, her clients loyal, her income steady enough to pay rent and keep going.

Neither of them have bank accounts.

It’s not that they don’t earn enough. They do. Sometimes more than salaried workers. But their income is unpredictable: some days bring in a lot, others not so much. What is predictable, however, is that commercial banks don’t seem built for them. And frankly, they don’t feel the need to walk into one.

We often frame this as a "financial inclusion” issue. But that assumes people like Rasta, Clemence, and other creatives or gig workers aren’t already financially active. They are. They use SACCOs, mobile wallets, savings groups. And when things are tight, they turn to private lenders like "Banque Lambert”.

So the question is: why aren’t they banking with us?

Let’s be honest. Our systems weren’t built with them in mind.

Commercial banking was designed for structure: payslips, collateral, proof of address, predictable income. But the informal sector, or abanyabiraka, as they’re often called, doesn’t operate in straight lines. Their income is uneven, but it’s there.

Where we ask for forms and waiting periods, they expect speed. Where we promote "competitive interest rates,” they’re paying 30% a month from private lenders and still coming back. Why? Because those options are fast and accessible.

The wall between banks and the informal sector

There’s a quiet standoff between commercial banks and Rwanda’s informal economy. We hesitate to serve people without formal proof of income. They, in turn, don’t see themselves in our halls.

We’ve become symbols of blazers and bureaucracy. Of waiting. Of being "for the rich.” So the real question isn’t just how to include them. It’s how to be relevant to them.

What can banks offer that others can’t?

Let’s not sell ourselves short. Commercial banks still bring what others can’t: scale, long-term financial tools, formal protections, financial literacy and even speed- with our digital channels. We can help someone move from borrowing Rwf 200,000 for stock to owning a salon. We can help them build capital, save for emergencies, grow credit scores, and access loans or asset financing at fairer rates.

But to matter in the informal sector, we must do more than rebrand. We must redesign.

A call to rethink banking, not just products

We need to ask tougher questions: