The 7th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7), conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, covered 15,066 households across the country. The report was officially launched by Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente at the Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday.

The survey shows that the national poverty rate dropped from 39.8% in 2017 to 27.4% in 2024, with approximately 1.5 million Rwandans lifted out of poverty since the last survey.

“These achievements were realized over the seven years of implementing the first National Strategy for Transformation (NST1),” said Prime Minister Ngirente during the launch. “They were driven mainly by strategic investments made by the Government of Rwanda and its partners over the last seven years.”

He added: “The long-standing social protection schemes played an important role in improving the well-being of our citizens. These efforts have also effectively contributed to the creation of income-generating activities and job opportunities in Rwanda, and it is a clear demonstration of the impact that can be achieved through good planning and effective implementation.”

The rural poverty rate now stands at 31.6%, while urban areas report a significantly lower rate of 16.7%. The Western Province remains the most affected, while the City of Kigali reports the lowest poverty levels.

Among the districts, Musanze recorded the most dramatic improvement, with poverty levels falling from 42.3% to 21.0%—a 21.3 percentage-point drop.

Only 14 districts had more than 40% of their population living in poverty in 2024, down from 22 districts in 2017. Meanwhile, 16 districts now report poverty rates below the national average.

Extreme poverty also declined sharply, dropping by 5.9 percentage points compared to 2017. The national extreme poverty rate now stands at 3.1%.

According to NISR Director General Ivan Murenzi, a Rwandan needs at least 560,027 Rwandan Francs annually to meet the basic cost of food and non-food necessities.

The report also highlighted improvements in other socio-economic indicators, particularly in rural areas, where access to electricity, mobile phones, internet, and improved drinking water sources has significantly increased. Household access to electricity rose from 34.4% to 72%; mobile phone ownership increased from 66.9% to 84.6%; and internet access grew from 17% to 30%.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa described the release of the report as timely, noting that it will support evidence-based policymaking to achieve the goals of the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).

“These results will define where and how the government and partners should invest to get maximum results for NST2 objectives by 2029,” he stated.

The 7th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7), conducted between October 2023 and October 2024, covered 15,066 households across the country. The report was officially launched by Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente at the Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday.

NISR Director General Ivan Murenzi presents the results of the 7th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7).

Speaking at the event, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa described the release of the report as timely, noting that it will support evidence-based policymaking to achieve the goals of the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).