President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, October 27, appointed three senior officials to lead operations, delivery, and strategy and partnerships at the National Artificial Intelligence Agency.

The appointments follow the Cabinet’s June 8approval to establish the agency to coordinate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

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Olivier Twagirayezu was appointed Chief Operations Officer. He previously served as director of the Rwanda AI Scaling Hub from 2025. Before that, he spent five years at Smart Africa, where he was Unit Manager for Digital Services Enablers.

Twagirayezu is a graduate of US-based Quantic School of Business and Technology, where he did an Executive MBA from 2021 to 2024. He also did a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Engineering Technology and Applied Science at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jessica Ingabire was appointed the agency's Chief Delivery Officer. She holds a master’s degree in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She also worked as an analyst in the Office of the President from 2018 to 2020.

Robert Kayinamura was appointed Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer.

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The National Artificial Intelligence Agency is expected to support AI innovation, investment and adoption as part of Rwanda’s digital transformation and economic growth agenda.

Its mandate covers government transformation, research, skills development, AI ethics and safety, industry development, commercialisation and international partnerships.

The agency is also expected to coordinate AI initiatives, improve access to AI-ready data and computing infrastructure, develop local talent and support the growth of Rwanda’s AI industry.

The institution builds on Rwanda’s National AI Policy, adopted in 2023, and existing programmes under the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, including the Rwanda AI Scaling Hub.