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Rwanda has unveiled a national Digital Public Infrastructure strategy aimed at improving how institutions share data, deliver services and support digital innovation, with officials saying the initiative will also accelerate the country\u2019s ambitions in artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n
The strategy was introduced during Rwanda\u2019s first DPI Day, held March 9 and organized by the Rwanda Information Society Authority in collaboration with Access to Finance Rwanda and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. The event also marked progress since the establishment of Rwanda\u2019s Centre of Digital Public Infrastructure in 2025.<\/p>\n
Digital public infrastructure refers to foundational and interoperable digital systems \u2014 including digital identity platforms, payment systems and data exchange layers \u2014 that function as public goods, allowing governments and private actors to build services at scale.<\/p>\n
Antoine Sebera, CEO of the Rwanda Information Society Authority, said the strategy addresses a key challenge that has emerged from a decade of digital progress: many of Rwanda\u2019s digital platforms were developed independently and are not designed to communicate with one another. \u201cDigital public infrastructure is about creating the shared foundation that allows services across government institutions to work together seamlessly,\u201d he said. \u201cDPI is like roads and electricity for the digital economy. It allows services, innovation, and inclusion to move faster across the entire country.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sebera also said the shared infrastructure will support Rwanda\u2019s ambitions to become a regional AI hub, noting that stronger data exchange systems and interoperable platforms will allow AI technologies to access larger volumes of reliable, high-quality data across sectors. He stressed, however, that the system cannot be built by any single institution. \u201cIts very nature requires collaboration among government institutions, private sector innovators, civil society, and development partners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jean Bosco Iyacu, CEO of Access to Finance Rwanda, said the DPI conversation must extend beyond policymakers to include innovators, businesses and academic institutions. \u201cWe are looking at shared technologies that are reusable, where innovators can build new services from where others have stopped,\u201d he said, adding that the framework holds particular promise for expanding financial inclusion among underserved communities, small businesses and rural populations.<\/p>\n
Sharon Umunyana, director of the Rwanda Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure, cited the planned rollout of a digital identity system by June 2026 and the interoperable payment platform e-Kash as early steps in the country\u2019s DPI journey. She said the centre will support the development of foundational digital systems and build technical capacity within the ecosystem. \u201cTechnology is actually the easier part,\u201d she said. \u201cThe real question is how we build digital foundations that enable innovation, inclusivity, and economic growth through coordination and collaboration, while avoiding silos.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yves Iradukunda, state minister at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, said success will depend on removing institutional silos and ensuring that all stakeholders \u2014 including government, regulators, the private sector, development partners and the broader technology community \u2014 work together.<\/p>\n
Fatmata Lovetta Sesay, UNDP resident representative to Rwanda, said safeguards must ensure that women, rural communities and marginalized groups are not excluded from the digital transformation. \u201cDigital public infrastructure is not an end in itself. It is a foundation for Rwanda\u2019s future digital economy, including the adoption of artificial intelligence,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The event also featured a technical training program on DPI architecture, interoperable payment systems and data exchange frameworks, with participants who completed the program receiving certificates as part of a growing community of practitioners expected to support national implementation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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