Rwanda has launched a national Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) strategy aimed at improving how institutions share data, deliver public services, and drive digital innovation. Officials say the strategy will help create a more connected digital economy while also supporting the country’s growing ambitions in artificial intelligence (AI). The initiative was unveiled during Rwanda’s first DPI Day, held on March 9, and organised by the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) in partnership with Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. The event also highlighted progress made since the creation of Rwanda’s Centre of Digital Public Infrastructure in 2025.
Digital Public Infrastructure refers to foundational and interoperable digital systems such as digital identity platforms, payment systems, and data exchange layers that function as public goods. These systems are designed to allow both government institutions and private sector actors to build services more efficiently and at scale. Officials explained that Rwanda’s new strategy seeks to establish a shared digital foundation that will improve institutional collaboration and support innovation across multiple sectors of the economy.
Over the past decade, Rwanda has made major progress in digitising public services. However, many of these systems were developed independently, which has led to fragmentation and limited their ability to communicate with one another. According to RISA, the DPI strategy is intended to solve this challenge by creating a framework that ensures future digital solutions are interoperable, secure, scalable, and aligned with national development priorities. Officials stressed that the strategy is not designed to replace existing systems, but rather to connect them more effectively and avoid long-term silos.
RISA leadership described DPI as a shared foundation that allows government services to work together seamlessly, improving the citizen experience while enabling more efficient service delivery. Foundational systems such as digital identity, interoperable payment platforms, and trusted data exchange systems are expected to make digital services easier to integrate and expand. Officials compared DPI to physical infrastructure such as roads and electricity, saying it can accelerate inclusion, innovation, and service delivery across the country.
The strategy is also seen as an important step in advancing Rwanda’s goal of becoming a regional hub for AI. With stronger data exchange systems and more interoperable digital platforms, AI technologies will be able to access larger volumes of reliable and high-quality data from different sectors, making them more effective and practical. Officials noted that a shared digital infrastructure will create opportunities for both public institutions and private companies to build new digital services and AI-driven solutions on top of a common national foundation.
Access to Finance Rwanda emphasized that the DPI ecosystem must go beyond government and include innovators, businesses, think tanks, academia, and civil society. The organisation highlighted how the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of strong digital systems for access to services and financial inclusion. AFR also said that reusable shared technologies can allow innovators to build on existing platforms rather than starting from scratch, helping to reduce barriers and expand digital and financial services to underserved communities, rural populations, and small businesses.
Rwanda’s Centre of Digital Public Infrastructure will play a key role in turning the strategy into practical systems and services. Officials pointed to early initiatives such as the planned rollout of a digital identity system by June 2026 and interoperable payment solutions like e-Kash as important milestones in Rwanda’s DPI journey. The centre is expected to support the development of core digital systems, strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors, and build the technical capacity needed to sustain the country’s digital transformation.
Government leaders also stressed that the success of the strategy will depend on strong coordination and collaboration across institutions. Officials warned that without this, duplicated investments and disconnected systems could continue to slow progress. International partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), highlighted the importance of building DPI on principles of trust, safety, openness, and inclusion, ensuring that women, rural communities, and marginalised groups are not left behind in Rwanda’s digital transformation. They noted that DPI should be viewed not as an end in itself, but as the foundation for Rwanda’s future digital economy and AI adoption.
The launch event also included a technical training programme on foundational DPI, organised by RISA, which covered core topics such as DPI architecture, interoperable payments, data exchange frameworks, and practical implementation. Participants who completed the programme received certificates, marking the emergence of a growing pool of trained professionals expected to support the implementation of Rwanda’s Digital Public Infrastructure strategy across the country.
