The pledge was made by Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente during the official launch of the 7th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7) at the Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The latest data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) shows that the national poverty rate fell from 39.8% in 2017 to 27.4% in 2024, with approximately 1.5 million Rwandans lifted out of poverty over the past seven years.

This 12.4 percentage-point reduction was achieved during the implementation of the first National Strategy for Transformation (NST1).

“These achievements were realized over the seven years of implementing NST1,” said Prime Minister Ngirente.

“They were driven mainly by strategic investments made by the Government of Rwanda and its partners. Our goal remains clear: we are determined to make sure that no one is left behind," he added.

He credited the progress to targeted efforts in social protection, economic recovery post-COVID-19, and infrastructure development.

“The long-standing social protection schemes played an important role in improving the well-being of our citizens,” Ngirente noted.

“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 survey, conducted between October 2023 and October 2024 and covering over 15,000 households nationwide, also revealed a significant drop in extreme poverty—from 11.3% in 2017 to just 5.4% in 2024. Notably, the report by NISR estimates that a Rwandan currently needs at least Rwf 560,027 annually to meet basic needs, including food and non-food essentials.

Rural areas, traditionally more affected by poverty, have seen substantial improvements. While rural poverty now stands at 31.6%, urban poverty is significantly lower at 16.7%. Musanze District emerged as a standout success story, recording a dramatic decline in poverty from 42.3% to 21.0%—the highest improvement among all districts.

Additionally, the number of districts with over 40% of their population living in poverty has dropped from 22 in 2017 to just 14 in 2024. Meanwhile, 16 districts now report poverty levels below the national average.

The Prime Minister noted that Rwanda’s strong post-COVID economic recovery—marked by an average growth rate of 9.1% over the last four years—has played a critical role in these gains.

“This recovery has created more jobs and boosted household incomes, which we see reflected in the increase in household consumption,” he said.

Improvements have not been limited to income. The EICV7 findings indicate that access to electricity increased from 34.4% to 72%, mobile phone ownership rose from 66.9% to 84.6%, and internet access doubled from 17% to 30%.

Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Yusuf Murangwa praised the report’s timing, emphasising its importance for evidence-based policymaking under the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), which runs until 2029.

“These results will guide government and partners in making targeted investments that yield maximum impact,” he said.

As Rwanda marches toward its Vision 2050 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Prime Minister Ngirente reaffirmed the government’s resolve to elevate every member of the Rwandan society.

“Our aspirations are high, but so is our determination. We want every family, in every corner of Rwanda, to benefit from our economic development.”

Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente made the pledge during the official launch of the 7th Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7) at the Kigali Convention Centre on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.