Rwanda’s economy is projected to grow by 7.2% in 2026, exceeding the average growth expected across sub-Saharan Africa and the global economy, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The latest figures, published in the IMF’s October 2026 World Economic Outlook, place Rwanda among the continent’s faster-growing economies, despite its relatively small economic size.
The IMF expects sub-Saharan Africa’s economy to expand by 4.5% this year, while global economic growth is projected at 3.1%.
Rwanda’s forecast is therefore 2.7 percentage points higher than the regional average, reflecting the country’s continued economic expansion.
The figures come after Rwanda recorded economic growth of 9.4% in 2025, supported by activity across several sectors, including industry, services and agriculture.
Growth remained strong during the first six months of 2026, when the economy expanded by 9.7% compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the economy grew by 9.4% in the second quarter of 2026, with industry recording the strongest performance among the three main sectors.
Industrial activity increased by 18%, while services expanded by 7% and agriculture grew by 4%.
Construction was among the major contributors to industrial growth, expanding by 24%, while mining and quarrying activities increased by 26%.
Manufacturing also grew by 10%, supported by increased production of metal products, machinery, construction materials and other manufactured goods.
In the services sector, information and communication activities recorded growth of 29%, while wholesale and retail trade increased by 18%.
Transport services expanded by 7%, reflecting continued activity in the movement of people and goods.
The second-quarter figures also showed that Rwanda’s GDP at current market prices reached Rwf7.17 trillion, up from Rwf5.8 trillion during the same period in 2025.
Despite its strong growth performance, Rwanda remains a relatively small economy compared with several African countries when measured by total economic output.
The IMF’s October projections put Rwanda’s GDP at approximately $17.34 billion in 2026.
This distinction means that although Rwanda’s economy is expanding faster than many others on the continent, its total value remains below that of larger economies such as South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya.
Economic growth measures how quickly a country’s production of goods and services increases, while GDP at current prices indicates the monetary value of its economic output.
The IMF’s full-year projection of 7.2% is also lower than Rwanda’s recorded growth of 9.4% in 2025, indicating that the economy is expected to expand at a more moderate pace over the year as a whole.
The 2026 forecast remains subject to changes in domestic economic performance and international economic conditions.
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