Rwanda transitioned from Vision 2020, achieving approximately 85 percent of its targets, to the National Strategy for Transformation (NST) and onward to Vision 2050. Few governance tools were as transformative in that journey as Imihigo.

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Revived in 2006 from our cultural tradition of public vows, Imihigo, or performance contracts, have anchored accountability in measurable results. Imihigo helped build Rwanda’s reputation as a country that does not merely plan, but delivers.

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But as national discussions continue in forums such as Umushyikirano, an important question arises. Can a system designed for disciplined execution also nurture the innovation required for Rwanda’s next stage of development? Imihigo’s strength lies in clarity and consequences. Targets are defined. Performance is evaluated publicly. Rankings are known. Underperformance carries reputational implications. This structure drives focus and results.

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But it also creates predictable incentives. In a high-accountability environment, leaders naturally prioritize reliable, low-risk deliverables, kilometres of roads built, health indicators met, classrooms completed, over experimental initiatives whose outcomes are uncertain.

Innovation, by nature, involves risk. Not every pilot succeeds. Not every prototype scales. Sometimes progress comes from partial failure and learning. Yet when performance systems primarily reward immediate, measurable outputs, experimentation can feel like a gamble rather than a responsibility.

President Paul Kagame has repeatedly asked leaders why, year after year, certain goals remain unmet. Could part of the answer lie in the structure of our performance system itself? When an idea falls outside a predefined Imihigo target, it is often dismissed as "not within our Imihigo.” But what if that idea is precisely what could enable better delivery of that same target?

As Vision 2050 unfolds, this tension becomes more urgent. Achieving our goals will require more than efficient implementation. It will demand adaptive problem-solving, technological breakthroughs, private-sector dynamism, and comfort with calculated risk.

Rwanda is shifting toward impact-based Imihigo evaluations, focusing not just on outputs but on real improvements in citizens’ lives. This evolution is important. Yet more deliberate reform in implantation may be needed.

One practical step would be reserving 20 percent of Imihigo priorities for innovation, pilot projects, research initiatives, or youth-led experiments evaluated on learning outcomes, scalability, and long-term value rather than perfection.

Most critically, we must rethink how innovators, entrepreneurs, and the private sector engage with Imihigo beyond invitations for tenders.

If a district’s Imihigo sets out to build 120 classrooms, how can private innovators participate in shaping how that objective is delivered, not merely bidding to construct what has already been decided? Could alternative technologies reduce costs and timelines? Could blended financing models mobilize private capital so projects are delivered without entirely relying on the government treasury? Could public-private-community partnerships co-finance infrastructure, sharing risk and returns?

How can innovation influence not only what we deliver, but how we deliver it?

Rwanda’s youthful population is one of our greatest assets. Across the country, young entrepreneurs are building startups, modernizing agriculture, designing digital tools, and creating value in creative industries. Institutions such as Rwanda Coding Academy are nurturing problem-solvers capable of contributing far beyond traditional employment pathways.

Rather than working alongside government performance systems, these innovators should be integrated into them.

Imagine districts co-owning specific Imihigo pledges with youth-led enterprises or private firms, sharing accountability, recognition, and rewards. Imagine structured planning consultations where innovators help design delivery models. Imagine evaluations that reward cost-efficiency gains, financing creativity, and technological improvements.

Such bridges would not dilute Imihigo’s strength. They would expand the ecosystem responsible for delivery.

The evolution required is cultural as much as structural. Central and local leaders at all levels must be equipped with a renewed mindset on Imihigo implementation. Delivering targets should not be viewed solely through the lens of treasury allocations or budget disbursements. Leaders should be trained to think beyond expenditure-driven solutions and explore partnerships, innovation, efficiency gains, and alternative financing models. They must feel confident pursuing bold initiatives, knowing that intelligent risk-taking will not be mistaken for incompetence. Lessons from pilot projects should be institutionalized as learning assets that strengthen future performance, not treated as personal liabilities.

Imihigo built Rwanda’s culture of execution and discipline. That foundation remains indispensable. But the journey to Vision 2050 requires an additional layer. Experimentation, technological ambition, and inclusive innovation.

The goal is not to replace Imihigo, but to modernize it. Rwanda has demonstrated that bold systems can work. The next bold step is to ensure our performance culture rewards not only what can be measured today, but also what makes tomorrow possible.

The writer is an ideator and alternative development financing strategist.