Rwanda GDP Expands 10% in Q1

2026-06-19 03:19 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Rwanda's economy expanded by 10% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, following an 11.2% growth in the previous quarter.

The services sector remained the largest contributor to growth, rising 7% and adding 3.9 percentage points to overall GDP growth, supported by gains in wholesale and retail trade (11%), transport (11%), information and communication (22%), financial services (11%), and administrative and support activities (20%).

However, hotels and restaurants contracted by 16%, while health services fell 18%.

The agricultural sector grew by 8%, as food crop production increased 3% and export crops surged 39%.

Industry expanded by 13%, driven by mining and quarrying (20%), construction (11%), and manufacturing (15%).

Within manufacturing, metal products, machinery and equipment jumped 52%, while non-metallic mineral products rose 57%.

On a quarterly basis, the GDP contracted by 9% in Q1, reversing from a strong 20% growth in the preceding period.



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Rwanda GDP Expands 10% in Q1
Rwanda's economy expanded by 10% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, following an 11.2% growth in the previous quarter. The services sector remained the largest contributor to growth, rising 7% and adding 3.9 percentage points to overall GDP growth, supported by gains in wholesale and retail trade (11%), transport (11%), information and communication (22%), financial services (11%), and administrative and support activities (20%). However, hotels and restaurants contracted by 16%, while health services fell 18%. The agricultural sector grew by 8%, as food crop production increased 3% and export crops surged 39%. Industry expanded by 13%, driven by mining and quarrying (20%), construction (11%), and manufacturing (15%). Within manufacturing, metal products, machinery and equipment jumped 52%, while non-metallic mineral products rose 57%. On a quarterly basis, the GDP contracted by 9% in Q1, reversing from a strong 20% growth in the preceding period.
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