jasdooit

The Rwandan government is aiming to raise at least $300 million (approximately Rwf432 billion) to erect new telecom towers in an effort to bridge the country’s internet coverage gap, as stated by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation. ALSO READ: RURA calls KTRN over internet service issues. At present, Rwanda’s internet coverage is at 83 per cent, leaving 17 per cent of the population without access. According to the Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, the current internet deficit is primarily found in rural and sparsely populated areas. While discussing issues of limited internet connectivity affecting service delivery on Tuesday, November 4, Ingabire informed the Chamber of Deputies that achieving approximately 97 per cent internet coverage would require the installation of 720 to 800 additional towers. To achieve complete national coverage and ensure consistent, high-quality internet access, the country would need to add about 2,500 new towers to the existing 1,700, with an estimated cost of $300 million. ALSO READ: Regulator calls MTN over service disruptions. The issue was brought up by MPs following their assessment conducted between May 28 and June 8, which aimed to evaluate the use of technology in public service delivery at the grassroots level. MPs voiced concerns about limited internet access in several regions and inconsistent connectivity where coverage exists, noting that frequent disruptions hinder timely delivery of digital services. They also mentioned inadequate system capacity to manage growing service demands, particularly in agriculture, education, health, and taxation. Other problems included inefficiencies in the land administration information system, poor integration among digital platforms, limited access to mobile devices, low digital literacy, and the dominance of English-only online services, which limits accessibility for many citizens. ALSO READ: Rwanda needs more than 800 cell towers to increase internet access. “The main challenge lies in the nature of our hilly and mountainous terrain,” Minister Ingabire explained. “We identified the need for 720 to 800 additional cell towers to reach at least 97 per cent coverage, not because we are unwilling to achieve full coverage, but because reaching 100 per cent would require over 2,500 towers on top of the existing 1,700.” “In such conditions, even investors would struggle to realize a return on investment for the remaining per cent gap. That’s why we are prioritizing the 97 per cent target for now, leaving the uninhabited and water-covered areas for later phases.” ALSO READ: Rwanda’s 4G subscription increased eight-fold in a year – regulator. The issue of internet connectivity has also been reflected in the recent Rwanda Governance Scorecard (RGS), an annual report that assesses governance performance across key sectors. In the 12th edition launched on October 31, service delivery through the ICT pillar scored 66.90 per cent overall. This score is based on several sub-indicators, including citizen satisfaction with Irembo services (87.40 per cent), satisfaction with online court case filings (79 per cent), electronic payment transactions with mobile money (79.40 per cent), satisfaction with radio communication (77.70 per cent), and the percentage of government services fully digitized (11 per cent). ALSO READ: How RGB evaluates Rwanda’s governance landscape. By comparison, the previous scorecard recorded a slightly higher overall ICT service delivery score of 67.13 per cent, with satisfaction levels of 89.60 per cent for Irembo services, 73.50 per cent for online court cases, 60.30 per cent for mobile phone use, 59.80 per cent for ICT in education, 94.20 per cent for electronic payments, 24.40 per cent for internet connectivity, and 68.10 per cent for radio communication. These trends indicate progress in certain areas, while highlighting persistent gaps, particularly in full digitization and internet access. ALSO READ: Kagame argues for continued internet connectivity. Speaking about initiatives to close the connectivity gap, Ingabire explained that telecom companies have the capacity to deploy at least 220 more towers under their current operational licenses. This means that closing the remaining gap of over 500 towers requires efforts beyond the capacity of existing telecommunication companies,” she said. “To address this, the government has taken steps to support connectivity in areas where companies are reluctant to invest due to potential losses. Specifically, a fund has been established using four per cent of annual revenues from telecom companies, which is injected into projects aimed at expanding communication infrastructure in underserved areas.” She noted that the fund, alongside other ongoing initiatives, has already contributed significantly to infrastructure development, supporting the installation of 233 towers since 2019. When asked about how long it would take to fully close the connectivity gap, the minister said, “If the country secures the necessary investment, it will take no more than three years to close the gap by installing the necessary towers.” “This issue is being prioritized among the government’s urgent funding needs.”

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).