Kigali is often described as a clean, safe and a fast-growing city. For many foreign students, however, studying alone is rarely enough.
Faced with tuition fees, living costs and a desire for independence, a growing number of international students build small businesses and take on gigs alongside their academic journeys.
From popcorn stands on campus to birthday surprise services, fashion stores and tech gigs, their stories reveal resilience, creativity and adaptation.
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Turning a campus need into a business
At African Leadership University (ALU), Newton Mbairassem Koularambaye, a student entrepreneur, spotted a simple but powerful opportunity: food. While juggling his studies, he launched a popcorn business on campus, targeting fellow students who wanted something affordable, quick and accessible.
"Kigali is a stable, secure and well-organised city,” he says. "That makes it easier to launch a project, even at a small scale.”
Being a student himself became his biggest advantage. His customers were classmates whose habits and financial realities he understood well.
The journey was not without challenges. Limited time, energy and finances forced Mbairassem to learn discipline and prioritisation. Beyond business, he also served as President of the Association of Chadian Students and Interns in Rwanda, representing and supporting fellow students on academic and social issues. For him, entrepreneurship is not just about income; it is also about leadership, service and learning by doing.
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From personal passion to paid service
For Olga Thérèse Mavoungou Tchibinda, a finance student at Kigali Independent University (ULK) from Gabon, entrepreneurship grew naturally from personal talent. Having lived in Kigali for four years, she turned a long-time passion into a source of income.
Back home in Gabon, she was known for organising birthday surprises and small events for loved ones. That passion followed her to Rwanda. After organising a surprise birthday for her partner and several end-of-year celebrations in Kigali, people began encouraging her to offer the service professionally.
The turning point came when a client entrusted her with a full birthday surprise setup. "That’s when I realised it was something people were really looking for,” she says.
To balance school and work, Olga set strict rules: only three pizza-selling days per week, working exclusively in the evenings, and accepting birthday orders at least two days in advance. Requests outside her schedule were declined.
Even so, the pressure can be intense, especially during exam retakes. "It was stressful, being in class and managing orders at the same time,” she admits.
The experience taught her patience, teamwork, money management and client relations—skills rarely learned in a lecture hall.
Tech gigs as a survival tool
A second-year Nigerian student at ALU, Nkem Vincent Nweke, specialises in web and app development. For him, gigs became essential to surviving and thriving in Kigali.
"I take up gigs to get extra funds to support my education and general well-being, so I don’t depend on money from home,” he explains.
His routine reflects discipline and sacrifice. "I use the day for studies, internships and classes, then at night I work on any gig or project I have.”
Beyond financial benefits, tech gigs have offered him professional exposure. "I visited offices, understood how tax payment works, and saw what it’s like to work with foreigners here,” he adds.
He also points to a common challenge for international students: "There are different payment plans for some services for foreigners versus locals, which can be more than three times the amount.”
Building something from scratch
For Arnaud Yourhy Ozouaki Ondo, a Development Studies master’s student at the University of Rwanda (UR) from Gabon, entrepreneurship is about identity and purpose.
After three years at the Huye campus, he moved to Kigali in 2026 to pursue his master’s while co-founding a small clothing business with a Rwandan partner, Elie Kubwimana.
"I always wanted to create something from scratch,” he says. He manages the store on weekdays and attends classes on weekends. Profits remain modest and are largely reinvested, but the business accelerated his social and professional integration. "I deal more with Rwandans than with people from my own community,” he notes.
While taxes and regulations can be heavy for small businesses, Ondo sees them as part of the process, emphasising discipline, consistency and long-term vision.
Diversifying to survive
After seven years in Rwanda, Yanyahka Gayna Merveille, a Chadian electrical technology engineering student at ULK, represents a more diversified entrepreneurial model. Observing the difficulty of accessing formal employment, he created opportunities instead of waiting.
From takeaway food businesses to a music production studio, sound equipment rental, music training groups and car rentals, his activities span multiple sectors. "Out of 10 international students, more than six are doing some income-generating activity,” he notes.
For Gayna, entrepreneurship carries a deeper philosophy. "Render service and you will earn your life,” he says. "The slave is not the one who serves people, but the one who refuses to serve.”
In Kigali, where ambition meets opportunity, foreign students are not just studying but are contributing to the city’s everyday economy, one popcorn bag, pizza order, clothing rack or service at a time.