Rwanda has unveiled a national Digital Public Infrastructure strategy aimed at improving how institutions share data, deliver services and support digital innovation, with officials saying the initiative will also accelerate the country’s ambitions in artificial intelligence.
The strategy was introduced during Rwanda’s first DPI Day, held March 9 and organized by the Rwanda Information Society Authority in collaboration with Access to Finance Rwanda and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. The event also marked progress since the establishment of Rwanda’s Centre of Digital Public Infrastructure in 2025.
Digital public infrastructure refers to foundational and interoperable digital systems — including digital identity platforms, payment systems and data exchange layers — that function as public goods, allowing governments and private actors to build services at scale.
Antoine Sebera, CEO of the Rwanda Information Society Authority, said the strategy addresses a key challenge that has emerged from a decade of digital progress: many of Rwanda’s digital platforms were developed independently and are not designed to communicate with one another. “Digital public infrastructure is about creating the shared foundation that allows services across government institutions to work together seamlessly,” he said. “DPI is like roads and electricity for the digital economy. It allows services, innovation, and inclusion to move faster across the entire country.”
Sebera also said the shared infrastructure will support Rwanda’s ambitions to become a regional AI hub, noting that stronger data exchange systems and interoperable platforms will allow AI technologies to access larger volumes of reliable, high-quality data across sectors. He stressed, however, that the system cannot be built by any single institution. “Its very nature requires collaboration among government institutions, private sector innovators, civil society, and development partners,” he said.
Jean Bosco Iyacu, CEO of Access to Finance Rwanda, said the DPI conversation must extend beyond policymakers to include innovators, businesses and academic institutions. “We are looking at shared technologies that are reusable, where innovators can build new services from where others have stopped,” he said, adding that the framework holds particular promise for expanding financial inclusion among underserved communities, small businesses and rural populations.
Sharon Umunyana, director of the Rwanda Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure, cited the planned rollout of a digital identity system by June 2026 and the interoperable payment platform e-Kash as early steps in the country’s DPI journey. She said the centre will support the development of foundational digital systems and build technical capacity within the ecosystem. “Technology is actually the easier part,” she said. “The real question is how we build digital foundations that enable innovation, inclusivity, and economic growth through coordination and collaboration, while avoiding silos.”
Yves Iradukunda, state minister at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, said success will depend on removing institutional silos and ensuring that all stakeholders — including government, regulators, the private sector, development partners and the broader technology community — work together.
Fatmata Lovetta Sesay, UNDP resident representative to Rwanda, said safeguards must ensure that women, rural communities and marginalized groups are not excluded from the digital transformation. “Digital public infrastructure is not an end in itself. It is a foundation for Rwanda’s future digital economy, including the adoption of artificial intelligence,” she said.
The event also featured a technical training program on DPI architecture, interoperable payment systems and data exchange frameworks, with participants who completed the program receiving certificates as part of a growing community of practitioners expected to support national implementation.
