PSF and Kigali Today Ltd delegations took a group photo at the signing
KIGALI — Rwanda’s largest annual trade exhibition will run longer and host more businesses than ever before this year, as organizers seek to strengthen the country’s role as a regional commercial hub and create new opportunities for local entrepreneurs to reach international markets.
The 29th edition of the Rwanda International Trade Fair (RITF), scheduled for later this year in Kigali, will run for 22 days and is expected to attract more than 500 exhibitors from Rwanda and abroad, according to the Private Sector Federation (PSF).
The expansion marks a significant increase from the 2025 edition, which lasted 20 days and brought together 475 exhibitors from more than 20 countries.
For nearly three decades, the trade fair—commonly known as Expo—has served as Rwanda’s largest marketplace for businesses, manufacturers, traders and service providers seeking customers, investors and commercial partners.
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As Rwanda places increasing emphasis on private sector-led growth, organizers say the fair has evolved beyond a traditional exhibition into a platform for business networking, product promotion, investment attraction and regional trade.
“This year’s edition will be larger and will bring together even more businesses from Rwanda and outside the country,” said Callixte Kanamugire, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Federation, this Thursday.
Callixte Kanamugire, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Federation.
The growth of the event comes as Rwanda seeks to expand exports, support local manufacturing and position itself as a gateway for regional commerce within the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
PSF officials say particular attention is being placed on helping young entrepreneurs, women-owned businesses and local manufacturers access new markets and develop the skills needed to compete beyond Rwanda’s borders.
“We have youth and women whom we want to become experts in regional trade,” Kanamugire said. “Providing them with the right information is an important step in achieving that goal.”
Founded in 1999, the Private Sector Federation serves as the umbrella organization representing Rwanda’s business community. Over the years, it has played a central role in advocating for business-friendly policies, promoting entrepreneurship and organizing the annual trade fair.
As preparations for the expanded exhibition gather pace, PSF is also seeking to broaden awareness of opportunities available to businesses participating in the event.
Part of that effort will involve a new partnership between PSF and Kigali Today Media Group, formalized this Thursday at the federation’s headquarters in Kigali.
The agreement was signed by Kanamugire and Kigali Today Ltd Managing Director Dan Ngabonziza in the presence of PSF officials and members of the business community.
Dan Ngabonziza, MD Kigali Today Ltd
Kanamugire said the partnership would focus not only on publicity but also on helping entrepreneurs better understand business regulations, standards, training opportunities and market access.
“We are very happy about this partnership,” he said. “One of the important things we want to achieve is helping business people and workers better understand issues such as business laws, standards, research and training opportunities.”
Addressing business leaders at the signing ceremony, Ngabonziza said Kigali Today had built a multimedia network capable of connecting businesses with audiences across the country and beyond.
He said the media group’s platforms include KT Radio 96.7 FM, which reaches nearly the entire territory of Rwanda, KigaliToday.com, a Kinyarwanda-language news platform attracting more than 200,000 daily visitors, and KT Press, an English-language platform drawing more than 50,000 daily readers.
The group also operates a YouTube channel with more than one million subscribers and social media platforms that collectively generate approximately 1.3 million daily views.
“Together, these platforms allow businesses to reach multiple segments of Rwandan society through a single communications network,” Ngabonziza said.
He noted that Rwanda’s overwhelmingly youthful population presents a major opportunity for businesses seeking to expand their customer base, particularly as a new generation of digitally connected consumers emerges.
Ngabonziza said exhibitors participating in this year’s trade fair should move quickly to secure both exhibition space and promotional opportunities ahead of what is expected to be the largest edition in the event’s history.
He announced that Kigali Today would maintain a continuous presence throughout the 22-day exhibition, with KT Radio broadcasting live from the fairgrounds from the opening day to the closing day.
The group’s YouTube channel, websites and social media platforms will also provide daily coverage of exhibitors, products, investment opportunities and business activities taking place during the event.
“Our role is to ensure that businesses participating in the fair receive sustained visibility throughout the event and are able to connect with customers, partners and investors,” he said.
For organizers, the larger significance lies in ensuring that businesses participating in this year’s trade fair are able to convert visibility into commercial opportunities.
As Rwanda’s economy increasingly looks to private enterprise to drive growth and job creation, the success of the 29th Rwanda International Trade Fair will be closely watched as a measure of the country’s broader ambitions to become a regional center for trade, investment and entrepreneurship.
Kigali Today Ltd delegation at the signing
