Maurice Toroitich, Managing Director of NCBA Rwanda and Basil Karimba – Chief Executive Officer – Green City Kigali, putting pen to paper on the landmark deal
Kigali – On World Environment Day, NCBA Bank Rwanda and Green City Kigali (GCK) announced a landmark partnership to promote affordable, inclusive, and environmentally friendly homeownership in Kigali.
This multi-year collaboration aims to transform Kinyinya Hill into a model green neighborhood that empowers residents to actively participate in and benefit from its development.
Bringing together NCBA’s expertise in affordable and sustainable finance with Green City Kigali’s mission to pioneer climate-smart urban living, the partnership focuses on creating mortgage products tailored for low- and middle-income households, expanding access to homeownership across the capital.
Maurice Toroitich, Managing Director of NCBA Rwanda, highlighted the bank’s sustainability goals: “Across the group, we’ve committed to raise USD 230 million and direct it towards green financing. We firmly believe sustainability and affordability are inseparable if we are to build cities for generations to come.”
Green City Kigali is a government-led initiative reimagining how African cities grow.
Set on 600 hectares in Kinyinya Hill, the project is part of Kigali’s Master Plan 2050 and aims to build a vibrant, inclusive neighborhood for up to 200,000 residents.
The first phase plans to develop between 1,700 and 2,000 homes through public-private partnerships.
Basil Karimba, CEO of Green City Kigali, described the project’s broader vision: “The Green City is more than a housing project—it’s a model for how cities can be affordable, climate-resilient, efficient with resources, and rooted in local culture.”
Beyond affordable financing, the partnership invests in people through financial literacy, skills training, and community programs that empower residents—especially women and youth—to engage fully in the city’s growth.
The initiative also commits to planting over 10,000 trees annually and restoring the local landscape at Kinyinya Hill.
Dr. Jack Ngarambe, Director General of Urbanization, Housing, and Human Settlement at the Ministry of Infrastructure, praised the initiative: “We stand behind this initiative because it provides a blueprint for homegrown sustainable and inclusive development. Today, we have corporations, the government, the youth, a bank, and the community coming together—because no one can do this alone. While we begin with 600 hectares of Green City in Kigali, the real vision is to replicate this model across Rwanda and ultimately across the continent.”
The partnership will also support youth-led groups like the Kepler College Environment Club, which works on climate action, waste collection, and community awareness projects.
Club members, who participated in the launch event, will benefit directly from the support.
“As students of Kepler and members of the Environment Club, we’re excited about this partnership because we are both participants and beneficiaries,” said Binama Jessica, President of the Kepler Environment Club. “We’re already living in the Green City Kigali, and now we’re helping to shape it—both here on campus and beyond.”
This collaboration marks a significant step towards building greener, more affordable, and inclusive urban communities in Rwanda’s capital and sets a model for sustainable city development across Africa.
Binama Jessica, President of the Kepler Environment
(Center) Dr. Jack Ngarambe, Director General of Urbanization, Housing, and Human Settlement at the Ministry of Infrastructure
