The fifth Population and Housing Census results were officially released on the first day of the ongoing 18th National Dialogue Council, Umushyikirano, 2023.

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A summary of the findings was compiled in an 18-page report that includes information about socio-economic indicators such as education, access to electricity, water, and telephones, trends in human settlement and housing, and employment sectors, among other things. But what do the figures mean?

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Population

Rwanda’s population increased from 10.5 million in 2012 to 13.2 million in 2022, with a 2.3 percent annual growth rate.

In simpler terms, this means that the number of Rwandans has increased over the last 10 years—determined by deducting the difference between births and deaths, immigrants and emigrants.

One factor could be the increase in life expectancy, from 64.5 in 2012 to 69.6 in 2022, as shown by the findings. Factors such as improved healthcare and improved living conditions such as housing, water, and food, as well as out-migration and in-migration effects and increased fertility rate, all contribute to population growth.

This could translate to increased economic growth and workforce among other things; as well as, demand for food, water, housing, energy, healthcare, transportation, and more, as noted by Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning of Rwanda, during a panel discussion on the first day of the National Dialogue Council.

Health

According to recent Census data, Rwanda’s fertility rate has decreased over time, from 4% in 2012 to 3.6% in 2022.

The explanation provided was an increase in the use of contraception and family planning methods in general, which in turn should contribute to keeping the population growth in check.

The findings show that the population is 51.5 per cent female and 48.5 per cent male.

Education

The census results also show that education levels in the country remain low, despite an increase in enrolment and attendance over the years.

As emphasised by Valentine Uwamariya, Minister of Education during the same panel discussion, there is a need for more education uptake, with a special focus on bettering education quality, which directly translates to employment.

Employment

Moreover, the findings show that 69% of Rwandan households are engaged in agriculture activities, with 26.8 per cent concentrating on crop farming, 9 per cent on animal husbandry, and 64.2 per cent relying on both.

This means that agriculture employs more than half of the total population, emphasising the need to improve conditions in the sector.

During the panel discussion, Ildephonse Musafiri, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, emphasised the ministry’s efforts to improve standards and guidelines for the construction of safer facilities, in response to recent events involving maize drying shelters collapsing, resulting in mass injuries and deaths.

Infrastructure

Among other things, according to the most recent census, 81.3 per cent of Rwandan households own a radio, which serves as their primary source of information.

78.1 per cent of private households have at least one mobile phone, and 22.8 per cent of private households had used the internet in the 12 months prior to data collection.

Furthermore, 61 per cent of Rwandan private households use Rwanda Energy Group electricity as their primary source of lighting. 82.3 per cent of them have access to improved drinking water, with 32.5 per cent relying on public taps as their primary source of drinking water. Also, iron sheets are used as the primary roofing material in 93.9 per cent of urban private households and 65.9 per cent of rural private households.

This, according to Patricie Uwase, Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, could be increased if the youth continue to take part in leveraging more technology and skill banks, as well as, having the private sector join hands with the government.

Youth

Pascal Murasira, Managing Director at Norrsken East Africa, cited the promising start-up ideas there, to emphasise that young people could make better use of available opportunities to help the country’s development.

Though, it was stated that the youth population has decreased from 70.3 per cent in 2012 to 65.3 per cent in 2022 and is expected to fall further to 54.3 per cent by 2050 over the last 10 years. This raises the question of whether there was any threat in having a less youthful population.

However, the proportion of people aged 16 to 64, who make up the majority of the workforce, increased from 53.4 per cent in 2012 to 56 per cent in 2022 and is expected to reach 61.4 per cent by 2050.

Experts noted that this could be directly or indirectly related to the decrease in fertility rate, which is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, but it is not a cause for concern.