Rwanda: Despite the growth of the construction sector 60% of materials are still imported

While high-rise buildings and infrastructure continue to rise in Kigali and across the country, a major challenge remains: many construction materials are still imported from abroad. Experts in the construction sector estimate that at least 60% of materials used in large construction projects are sourced from foreign countries.

The construction sector plays a significant role in Rwanda’s economy, providing jobs to a wide range of people from different backgrounds.

However, persistent challenges especially those related to construction materials are a threat to the country’s ambitions of self-reliance.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Prudence Sebahizi, notes that some materials such as sand, cement, and stones are locally produced, but materials required for large-scale or high-tech projects are often still imported.

Engineer Delphin Tuyisenge, Director of WEMEP Company which has worked on major projects like BK Arena, Amahoro Stadium, and the Bugesera International Airport says this reliance on imported materials causes significant financial losses.

"Reducing importation of construction materials is not about self-restraint, it’s about investing in local industries. Without that investment, we remain a country that sends out a large amount of money every year, " He states.

Data shows that the value of Rwanda’s total imports rose from USD 3 billion in 2017 to over USD 6 billion in 2024, with construction materials accounting for a share of this increase. This underscores the government’s ongoing push to strengthen the country’s industrial capacity.

Currently, Rwanda has 38 large factories that produce construction materials, along with 82 small and medium-sized ones. However, these are not yet sufficient to meet domestic demand.

Under the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), one of the key economic goals is to support the growth of the construction materials industry and attract investors into the sector.

Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente recently announced that factories producing construction materials are among the four industrial categories that will receive priority in economic development efforts.

All this points to the fact that although the construction sector is growing rapidly, addressing the challenge of dependence on imported materials is crucial to building a more self-sustaining and resilient economy.