Reported financial fraud complaints in Rwanda fell by about 30 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, down from 4,128 recorded in the same quarter of 2025, according to figures presented by Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva. Nsengiyumva said the decline followed the introduction of regulations and mechanisms aimed at preventing and resolving financial fraud and recovering misappropriated money where possible. ALSO READ: Digital fraud cases in financial sector drop 40% — BNR “These measures have started to produce results,” he told both chambers of Parliament on Friday, October 2, while presenting the government's efforts to develop the financial sector. He said the government has put in place regulations and mechanisms to protect financial service users and strengthen the prevention and resolution of fraud cases. Despite the decline, Nsengiyumva said fraud involving phones and attempts to obtain confidential information remain a challenge. ALSO READ: Digital payment fraud cases fell by more than half last year – BNR “Although challenges remain, especially fraud using phones and scams aimed at obtaining confidential information, we continue to strengthen measures to prevent them and protect customers,” he said. The issue comes as the use of digital financial services has expanded. The number of digital-payment transactions increased from about 256 million in 2017 to 3.1 billion in 2025. The value of money transferred through digital-payment channels increased from Rwf2.9 trillion in 2017 to Rwf85.5 trillion in 2025. ALSO READ: Four jailed over complex fraud scheme in Kigali In 2025, 73.7 per cent of adults made payments using digital channels. Mobile-money services have also expanded, with regular users increasing from 433 per 1,000 adults in 2017 to 715 per 1,000 in 2025. Nsengiyumva said government will continue putting in place policies and strategies to fight cyberattacks and maintain public confidence in digital financial services. The government is also continuing to monitor and prevent illegal lending through regulations governing financial service providers and cooperation among relevant institutions. The Prime Minister said protecting consumers remains important as financial services increasingly move away from traditional bank branches towards digital platforms. The government has also introduced eKash, a payment system designed to connect financial institutions and facilitate faster money transfers. The system allows transfers at a fee of no more than Rwf20 per transaction, while the maximum amount that can be sent or received in a single transaction is Rwf10 million.
