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Rwanda's economy grows 9.4% in the second quarter of 2026

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A multi-storey concrete building under construction with a tower crane, above the hills of Kigali Economy
A multi-storey concrete building under construction with a tower crane, above the hills of Kigali

GDP at current prices reached Frw 7,174 billion as industry expanded 18%, led by mining, construction and manufacturing; agriculture grew 4% and services 7%.

Rwanda's gross domestic product grew 9.4% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same quarter of 2025, according to the quarterly GDP estimates published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) in September. GDP at current market prices reached Frw 7,174 billion, up from Frw 5,799 billion a year earlier.

Industry was the fastest-growing sector at 18%. Mining and quarrying rose 26%, construction 24% and manufacturing 10%. Within manufacturing, metal products, machinery and equipment grew 51%, non-metallic mineral products 22% and textiles, clothing and leather 13%.

Services grew 7%. Wholesale and retail trade increased 18%, information and communication 29%, transport 7%, hotels and restaurants 5% and financial services 4%. Agriculture grew 4%: food crop production rose 5%, while export crops fell 20%, mainly because coffee production dropped 33%. Tea production increased 18%.

The quarter follows growth of 10.0% in the first quarter of 2026, giving 9.7% real growth for the first half of the year according to the International Monetary Fund. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning summarised the release in a note on its website.

For investors, the figures show construction, mining and trade carrying the expansion, while weaker coffee output weighed on agricultural exports. NISR usually publishes third-quarter estimates in December.

Sources