A new report has highlighted Rwanda's mobile network that reaches almost every part of the country and urged policy action on the challenge of getting more people to use it. Titled Rwanda Digital Economy, the GSMA report published on September 17, recommends a package of policy changes that could bring more than 1 million additional unique mobile internet subscribers in Rwanda by 2031, representing a 22 percent increase from its base-case projection. The changes include making devices more affordable, reviewing taxes, expanding digital literacy and making online services more accessible to rural users. ALSO READ: Why Rwanda leads in affordable internet for Africa's digital nomads The finding points to an unusual problem in Rwanda’s digital growth story: while infrastructure is largely in place, adoption has not kept pace. By the fourth quarter of 2025, Rwanda had 10.4 million active mobile connections, or SIM cards in use. About 7.2 million, or 69 percent, were connected to either 3G or 4G networks. The number of 4G connections had climbed to 5.8 million. GSMA says 3G networks reach 99 percent of the population, while 4G reaches 96 percent. 5G, which was launched more recently, is available mainly in urban areas and covers about 9 percent of the population. Yet only 21 percent of Rwanda’s population were unique mobile internet subscribers in 2025, below the regional average. ALSO READ: Why Rwanda’s private sector must drive the digital economy The report found that average monthly data use per mobile connection was low compared with other countries in the region. In plain terms, having a signal does not necessarily mean having an internet habit. GSMA estimates Rwanda’s broadband usage gap at 78 percent. The term refers to people who live in areas where mobile broadband is available but are not using it. The gap stood at 80 percent in 2023, showing that network expansion has moved much faster than internet adoption. ALSO READ: Six African nations chosen for GSMA low-cost smartphone pilot At the current pace, the report says “it could take several decades for Rwanda to reach universal adult broadband use.” The divide is especially visible outside the country’s wealthier and urban population, which has adopted mobile broadband more successfully and benefits from digital public and private services. GSMA argues that future policies should focus more directly on people who are still offline, particularly lower-income rural households. The cost of getting online GSMA recommends working with the private sector to expand financing options for smartphones and other internet-enabled devices, particularly for rural communities. ALSO READ: How 5G can advance the SDGs It suggests government support through lower financing costs, loan guarantees and other measures that could make it easier for people outside the formal economy to access credit. The report also recommends digital literacy programmes designed around people’s everyday needs. That could mean helping rural users access government, healthcare and agricultural services, while also recognising the role of entertainment, culture and religious content in encouraging people to use mobile internet. Language matters GSMA recommends expanding the use of Kinyarwanda as a default application language because a lack of locally accessible content can discourage rural users from adopting digital services. The report points to the way people access services. Rwanda still relies heavily on USSD, the simple menu system people use on basic phones by dialing codes. GSMA recommends keeping basic services available through USSD while moving more advanced and personalised features to mobile apps and internet services. Taxes and operating costs are part of the equation GSMA recommends reviewing the impact of the reintroduced value-added tax on devices and recent increases in excise taxes. PwC’s Rwanda Corporate Tax Summary lists the scheduled excise tax increases on telephone communication at 12 percent from June 2025, 14 percent from June 2026 and 15 percent from June 2027. GSMA says the government should assess how these changes affect prices and consumer demand before making further tax policy decisions. The report also recommends reversing the increase in electricity tariffs applied to mobile networks. Energy accounts for 19 percent of annual operating costs at mobile sites, while the recent 44 percent increase in energy tariffs has added to operators’ costs. GSMA argues that higher costs can eventually feed into consumer prices and make internet access less affordable. The balancing act around network quality GSMA warns that stricter quality-of-service rules should not slow investment in areas that still need better coverage or push prices higher. It recommends that the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) balance service quality, affordability and continued network expansion, particularly in rural areas. Under GSMA’s scenario, the recommendations would reduce the internet usage gap by six percentage points by 2031 and add more than 1 million unique mobile internet subscribers. The projection, however, assumes that the proposed tax changes are implemented and that evidence supports their effect on consumer behaviour. The report projects that the reforms could have a positive effect on government finances. Although the recommendations involve reducing taxes on the mobile sector, GSMA estimates that the economic growth linked to faster digital adoption would more than offset the direct loss in tax revenue, with annual government revenue projected to be Rwf218 billion higher than the base case by 2031.
