Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva visited two major infrastructure projects in Western Rwanda on Saturday to assess the progress made in increasing Rwanda’s energy sources and connectivity to the Great Lakes region.
The PM toured the Rubavu Port, a major infrastructure project located on the shores of Lake Kivu in Rwanda’s Western Province.
Inaugurated in December 2024, the port is designed to handle up to 700,000 tons of cargo per year and 2.7 million passengers, making it a vital hub for regional trade and connectivity.
Though operating at a comparatively low capacity, the Rubavu port is part of Rwanda’s broader National Strategy for Transformation, with additional ports planned in Rusizi, Nkora, and Karongi.
Minister of Infrastructure Dr. Jimmy Gasore said that the PM’s visit was aimed at assessing the port’s intended purpose to connect Rwanda to its neighbors and revealed that by the end of this year, the Rusizi port will be completed.
“Once we have the Rusizi port completed and functioning at the end of this year, it will boost activities at the Rubavu port, but we are also considering more trade benefits from other ports in the pipeline,” Gasore said.
The Minister confirmed that though the Rubavu port has managed to start operations, the PM urged the urgent need to address the issue of low capacity by improving services to encourage its use among citizens and improve cross-border trade.
The port has handled at least 30 large ferries, 500 long trucks, employing 200 and easing transport routes and costs of trade between Rwanda and the DR Congo.
“The port already has an impact on the lives of citizens, but the more we improve services, the more it will be able to reach its intended goals in Rubavu and beyond,” he added.
PM Nsengiyumva also toured the Shema Power Lake Kivu, a 56MW methane gas power plant located on Lake Kivu.
Developed under a Public-Private Partnership between the Government of Rwanda and Shema Power Lake Kivu Ltd (SPLK Ltd), the project is valued at $200 million and has a 25-year concession.
Minister Gasore said that the plant is currently producing 50MW and is one of the plants with a consistent supply (98%), but the PM urged the ministry to support the investor (owners) to reach its intended capacity.
To achieve 100% electricity access by 2029, Rwanda has made strategic investments to increase energy sources by tapping into the 55 billion cubic meters of methane gas from Lake Kivu (a shared resource with DR Congo) to generate clean, reliable electricity—a bold move that turns a natural hazard into a national asset.
