The government is exploring ways to optimise Rwanda’s night-time economy to boost productivity, officials said on September 17 at a press conference where the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) released second-quarter GDP results for 2025. In recent years, Rwanda has tightened regulations on night-time service providers, particularly in hospitality and entertainment, including restaurants, bars, concert venues, liquor stores, and nightclubs. These rules limit operating hours to 1:00 a.m. on weekdays and 2:00 a.m. on weekends. Businesses say the restrictions make it harder to stay afloat, with potential ripple effects on the wider night-time economy. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s economy up by 7.8% in Q2 2025 as base year changes Prudence Sebahizi, Minister of Trade and Industry, stressed that the government has not shut down the nightlife economy and remains committed to making it vibrant. “We have agreed to mobilise the private sector to operate 24 hours where possible. We are working on the modalities, with consultations planned both within government and with the private sector,” he said. He added that within two weeks, the government expects to publish what has been agreed with stakeholders. “From an economic perspective, if you work 24 or even 18 hours, you can easily double productivity. That is the rationale.” For businesses to run 24 hours, Sebahizi noted, support will be necessary. “There will be a set of government incentives, but the private sector must also be mobilised to boost productivity by working longer hours. In doing so, we will also create more jobs,” he said. ALSO READ: RDB urges compliance with nightlife rules to curb chaos, protect minors Yusuf Murangwa, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, stressed that the government never made a policy decision to shut down the night economy. Instead, he said, regulations targeted specific aspects of nightlife, such as entertainment, to curb binge drinking. He noted that the government is now taking a broader view of how to raise national productivity, particularly in industrial sectors at night. Citing international examples, Murangwa said industries that operate overnight often benefit from lower off-peak electricity costs. For such a shift to work in Rwanda, he added, support services like transport and restaurants are essential. “We are reviewing all these factors to determine how best to move forward,” he said.
