Made in Rwanda products becoming more affordable, trade minister says

Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry says products made under the Made in Rwanda initiative are becoming more affordable, pointing to lower prices for locally manufactured goods showcased at Expo 2026.

The 29th edition of the annual trade exhibition officially opened on Saturday in partnership with the Private Sector Federation (PSF), attracting exhibitors from more than 20 countries.

Trade and Industry Minister Antoine Kajangwe said the initiative had expanded beyond clothing and now covers a wide range of locally manufactured products, while prices have fallen compared with the early years of the programme.

“When we started the Made in Rwanda programme, many people believed it was only about clothing and that the products were expensive,” he said.

“Today, Made in Rwanda includes many different products because the initiative has grown significantly. The perception that these products are expensive is changing, and we have already seen clothing at this Expo being sold at affordable prices.”

Kajangwe said the initiative should be viewed not only as a way of promoting local manufacturing but also as a contributor to tax revenues, employment and national economic development. He encouraged Rwandans to support locally made products.

*Enterprise Urwibutso Sina Gérard is showcasing locally made clothing at the expo.*

Some visitors to the exhibition also said prices for locally produced clothing were lower than they had previously experienced.

One shopper said a traditional robe purchased from Sina Gérard at the exhibition cost RWF15,000, compared with around RWF30,000 for a similar garment sold elsewhere in Kigali.

Felicien Ndagijimana, head of College Foundation Sina Gérard, whose Enterprise Urwibutso manufactures the clothing, said the company aimed to make its products accessible to both Rwandan and international customers attending the exhibition.

He said the enterprise was producing distinctive clothing designed to promote Rwandan identity while keeping prices affordable.

The company has also introduced locally produced school exercise books, which Ndagijimana said are durable, competitively priced and designed to encourage children’s interest in entrepreneurship by featuring Made in Rwanda products.

PSF President François Twagirumukiza said the exhibition had continued to grow in both scale and quality, with manufacturers increasing production capacity and improving product standards.

He said some local manufacturers were now producing enough goods to meet domestic demand while also exporting to international markets. According to Twagirumukiza, some exhibitors reported exporting up to 70% of their cooking oil production.

He added that more Rwandan factories are now producing essential goods in quantities sufficient for the local market, describing it as progress compared with previous editions of the exhibition.

Organisers said 487 exhibitors had registered by the official opening of Expo 2026, with the total expected to reach about 500. More than 300 exhibitors are from Rwanda.