A multibillion-franc Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) laboratory, which is planned to be set up in Kigali, will boost the competitiveness of Rwanda’s manufacturing sector and exports through developing the capacity of industry players, the Minister of State in charge of National Treasury has said. Godfrey Kabera said this on Thursday, February 13, when Parliament passed a law ratifying a $65.5 million loan agreement (approx. Rwf92 billion) for a project to set up a joint STEM lab. The loan agreement was signed between the government of Rwanda and the Export-import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), on December 4. It is projected that laboratory construction will last for 48 months from the time the agreement was signed, meaning it is expected to be completed in December 2028, according to the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA). Kabera told MPs that the loan will be paid back in 25 years, which will start being counted after a 15-year grace period at an interest of 0.01 per cent. Information from NIRDA shows that the STEM lab is expected to cost $82.43 million (approx. Rwf115 billion) – which consists of $65.5 million as a loan from KEXIM, and $16.93 million that will be covered by the government of Rwanda. The facility, expected to consist of an eight-storey building, will be set up at the University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology in Kigali, which NIRDA described as a strategic location that aligns with Rwanda’s goal of creating innovation hubs that connect academia, research institutions, and industries. Kabera said that the government decided to build the laboratory for science and technology in line with its long-term vision in line with the country’s knowledge-based economy agenda. “The development of industries, and increasing the private sector capacity for innovation is very important in line with bringing about change in the export structure, which can make products and provided services have higher value,” he said. One of the project objectives is to establish a joint laboratory of science and technology, used for research and development for the purpose of strengthening capacity for competitiveness in the field of technology for promising industries, and establishing a system of how to start commercial operations. ALSO READ: Industrialists report growth as Rwanda seeks more manufacturers The other objective is to increase research and development capacity of Rwanda’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through providing equipment that can be used by various entities for research purposes and management of jointly owned equipment. “The joint STEM laboratory planned to be set up is a great milestone that will contribute to improving the exiting factories’ capacity with the aim of increasing their capacity for exports and manufacturing goods that can substitute our imports. This will also help industrialists to innovate and enter international trade,” he said. The laboratory will bring together private innovators, experienced industry consultants, educational institutions, among other stakeholders. “Innovators will be able to have access to cutting-edge technology. and be provided with equipment and training to help them increase their skills in terms of industrial knowhow, and their capacity in business will be scaled up,” he said. Kabera added that the STEM lab will help them employ young Rwandans in high-value jobs created thanks to the growth of their firms. According to NIRDA, the STEM Lab will focus on three core sectors, namely mechatronics, energetics, and industrial software. Under energetics, it will focus on technologies related to renewable energy storage, while mechatronics will cover mineral processing; agro-processing machines-related technologies; construction-related technologies, and sensor development. For industrial software systems, the focus will be on data analytics; programming logic controllers; automation; embedded systems development, and artificial intelligence (AI).
