The report shows that divorce-related cases remained the most common category of civil cases, rising from 2,674 cases in 2024/25 to 6,799 in 2025/26.
Of the cases recorded in 2025/26, 5,980 were filed at first-instance courts, a figure the Judiciary says corresponds to the number of families that sought divorce at that level. During the first six months of 2026 alone, courts received 3,620 divorce-related cases.
Other major civil cases included disputes over immovable property, with 1,866 cases; breach of contracts and obligations, 1,081; civil registration matters, 815; and disputes involving movable property, 244.
Meanwhile, data from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) show that 4,479 divorces were registered in civil records in 2025. Of these, 2,629 involved couples who had obtained divorce through the courts and subsequently registered it.
Kigali recorded the highest number of registered divorces at 1,820, followed by the Southern Province with 920, Eastern Province with 820, Northern Province with 520 and Western Province with 339.
NISR said couples who had been married for five to 14 years accounted for the largest share of divorces recorded in 2025.
Lawyer Marie Louise Mukashema recently told IGIHE that common factors behind rising divorce cases include disagreements between spouses, property-related conflicts and lack of honesty. She said families should play a greater role in resolving marital disputes before couples turn to courts.
'Traditionally, when people got married, it was considered a union between two families. When problems arose, instead of taking them to social media or making them public, they were resolved within the family.
'I think the problem today lies within the family, and parents and children have a major role to play in understanding the value of family as children grow up. That is where the solution lies, because people seeking divorce no longer take such matters to their families as they used to in the past,' she said.
Lawyer Maurice Munyentwari said mutually agreed divorces have also increased, with couples often choosing to separate without disclosing the reasons for their decision. In contested cases, he said, common complaints include domestic conflict, harassment, violence and exclusion from family property.
Rwanda's 2024 law governing persons and family provides for a Family Council to oversee family welfare, protect members' interests and help resolve family disputes. However, the ministerial order required to establish its composition, responsibilities and operations has not yet been issued.
Rwanda's courts received 6,799 divorce cases during the 2025/26 judicial year,
Mukantaganzwa said the decline was partly attributed to the use of restorative justice, which focuses on resolving disputes through mutual agreement between the parties.
She made the remarks on September 4, 2026, during the official closing of the 2025/26 judicial year in Kigali, where the 2026/27 judicial year was also officially launched.
The ceremony was attended by judges and other officials from the justice sector, including representatives from the Ministry of Justice. The previous judicial year ended on June 30, 2026.
Mukantaganzwa said courts across Rwanda began the 2025/26 judicial year with a backlog of 54,278 cases that had been carried over from the previous year.
During the year, the courts received 109,417 new cases, bringing the total number of cases that needed to be handled to 163,695.
Of these, 123,027 cases were concluded, leaving 40,668 cases pending as the new judicial year began.
This means that the backlog from the 2024/25 judicial year, which stood at 54,278 cases, declined to 40,668 cases, representing a reduction of 25.1%.
Among the cases concluded during the year, 109,555, representing 89%, were heard on their merits, while 13,472, equivalent to 11%, involved hearings on provisional detention and release.
The 13,472 cases involving provisional detention and release concerned 17,086 individuals. Of these, 9,093, representing 58%, were ordered to remain in provisional detention.
Another 4,294 people, equivalent to 25%, were granted provisional release, while 2,889, representing 17%, were released subject to conditions they were required to comply with.
The judicial year ended with the justice sector having made progress toward its goal of strengthening restorative justice, which contributed to an increase in the number of cases resolved through this approach.
'We are pleased that the number of cases resolved through this approach reached 19,888, up from 15,012 in the previous year. This represents an increase of 4,876 cases, equivalent to 32.4%,' Mukantaganzwa said.
She said the increase demonstrates progress in delivering fair justice by ensuring that cases are resolved in a timely manner.
The number of cases that had remained pending for more than six months also declined. At the end of the 2025/26 judicial year, there were 17,663 such cases, compared with 26,862 in the previous judicial year.
This represents a decline of 6%.
The reduction was also reflected in the average time cases remained pending before being heard. The average waiting period fell from six months in 2024/25 to four months during the year that ended.
However, Mukantaganzwa acknowledged that cases remain pending and said the goal is to continue reducing the backlog in order to strengthen the delivery of efficient justice.
'The goal is to continue reducing the backlog so that it does not exceed 30% by 2028/29,' she said.
She noted that some courts, particularly the High Courts and courts in the City of Kigali, continue to have a high number of cases. This affects the amount of time litigants have to wait before their cases are heard.
Supreme Court President Domitilla Mukantaganzwa said the backlog of court cases declined by 25.1% during the 2025/26 judicial year.Judges attend the ceremony marking the end of the judicial year and the launch of a new one.
Held in Kinigi under the theme 'Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future,' the annual ceremony brought together conservationists, business leaders, sports personalities, artists, philanthropists and public figures from Rwanda and around the world.
The tradition, inspired by the Rwandan practice of naming newborn children in the presence of family and community, has become one of the country's most prominent conservation events.
This year, the 22 names brought the total number of gorillas named through Kwita Izina since it became an annual event in 2005 to 460.
Here are the stories behind the names and the people who gave them.
Ishakwe – determination
Born on April 1, 2025, to Inkubito of the Muhoza family, the female gorilla was named Ishakwe, meaning 'determination.'
The name was given by Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism and the first woman set to lead the organisation in its 50-year history.
The name reflects the resilience required to protect the mountain gorilla population and sustain conservation gains for generations to come.
Umukondo – a starting point
Born on June 20, 2025, to Muhabura of the Izuba family, the male gorilla was named Umukondo, meaning 'navel' or 'starting point.'
The name was given by Dominic Barton, Chairman of Rio Tinto and LeapFrog Investments and former Global Managing Partner of McKinsey & Company.
The name evokes a beginning, fitting for a young gorilla at the start of its life and for the continued journey of conservation.
Shikama – stand strong
The male gorilla, born on July 3, 2025, to Turimaso of the Susa family, was named Shikama, meaning 'stand strong.'
Its namer, Paul Danforth, President of CAA Sports, chose a name that speaks to strength and resilience.
Inkera – traditional festivity
Born on July 31, 2025, to Isangano of the Pablo family, the male gorilla was named Inkera, meaning 'traditional festivity.'
The name was given by Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, CEO and majority shareholder of Atlético de Madrid and a member of the UEFA Executive Committee.
The name captures the celebratory spirit of Kwita Izina itself, where conservation is marked through ceremony, culture and community.
Rugamba – the fighter
Born on September 8, 2025, to Gwaneza of the Hirwa family, the male gorilla was named Rugamba, meaning 'fighter.'
The name was jointly given by Ahmed Sadek Elsewedy, Chairman of Elsewedy Electric, and his wife Anita Dravec.
Elsewedy Electric has been involved in Rwanda's electrification efforts, adding another dimension to a name that speaks of strength and perseverance.
Umucyo – light
The male gorilla born on October 14, 2025, to Urahirwa of the Ntambara family, was named Umucyo, meaning 'light.'
The name was given by Olivier and Quitterie Granet.
Olivier Granet is Managing Partner and Co-CEO of Kasada Capital Management, an investor in Africa's hospitality sector.
Ngabonzima – the protector
Born on December 28, 2025, to Ukwiyunga of the Segasira family, the male gorilla was named Ngabonzima, meaning 'the protector.'
The name was given by philanthropists Garreth and Nicola Wood, co-founders of Kids Operating Room, a global health charity focused on expanding access to paediatric surgery.
Garreth (far right) named the baby gorilla Ngabonzima.
The name carries a particularly fitting message at a ceremony built around the protection of wildlife and its habitat.
Ikambere – an important place
The female gorilla born on December 5, 2025, to Ntamupaka of the Sabyinyo family, was named Ikambere.
The name refers to 'the important place where you receive your esteemed visitors.'
It was given by Susan Hollern, founder and president of Hope Haven Rwanda, who has worked in Rwanda on education and family transformation since 2011.
Ubukaka – majesty, strength and power
Born on July 28, 2025, to Ururabo of the Humura family, the female gorilla was named Ubukaka, meaning 'majesty, strength and power.'
The name was given by acclaimed Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, whose film Ben'Imana was selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
Ngoga – courage
The male gorilla born on March 21, 2026, to Ntibisanzwe of the Kwitonda family was named Ngoga, meaning 'brave' or 'with courage.'
The name was given by Francesco Calvo, President of Business Operations at Aston Villa, who has previously held senior leadership positions at Juventus, FC Barcelona and AS Roma.
The naming ceremony was marked by tradition, music and celebrations.
Intwarane – fighting for a common goal
Born on January 27, 2026, to Intango of the Muhoza family, the male gorilla was named Intwarane.
The name refers to people fighting for a common goal, a fitting idea for a conservation programme built on collaboration between governments, communities, researchers, rangers, businesses and conservation organisations.
The namer was Mamadou Sakho, former France international and former captain of Paris Saint-Germain, who also played for Liverpool and Crystal Palace.
Tarama – socialise
The male gorilla born on July 21, 2025, to Impuhwe of the Humura family was named Tarama, meaning 'socialize.'
The name was given by Mutaz Essa Barshim, the Qatari Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion in high jump.
The name reflects the social nature of mountain gorillas, which live in close-knit family groups.
Igeno – destiny
Born on March 15, 2026, to Tabaro of the Musilikale family, the female gorilla was named Igeno, meaning 'destiny.'
The name was given by Kelly O'Meara, Executive Director of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, which works to advance primate protection and welfare across Africa.
Uruhembe – on the frontline
The male gorilla born on August 9, 2025, to Mbele of the Izuba family was named Uruhembe, meaning'on the frontline.'
The name was given by Neil and Susan McDougall.
Neil McDougall is founder and chairman of DelAgua, which works on clean cooking and livelihoods across Africa.
The name also echoes the frontline role played by rangers and conservation teams who work daily to protect Rwanda's wildlife.
Indahiro – commitment
Born on December 28, 2025, to Bukima of the Musilikale family, the male gorilla was named Indahiro, meaning 'commitment.'
The name was given by Jeanette Uwimbabazi, a Nyungwe National Park ranger recognised for her courage in combating wildlife crime and protecting Rwanda's biodiversity.
Her own conservation work gives particular weight to a name centred on commitment.
Muganura – national harvest
The male gorilla born on March 20, 2026, to Mafubo of the Izuba family was named Muganura, referring to National Harvest Day, a Rwandan thanksgiving celebration.
The name was given by former France and Manchester United captain Patrice Evra, a five-time Premier League champion and UEFA Champions League winner.
Ndongozi – outstanding leader
James Chester, Aston Villa legend and former Wales international, gave a baby gorilla the name Ndongozi, meaning 'outstanding leader.'
Chester, who captained Aston Villa and helped the club return to the Premier League, brought a sporting connection to a name centred on leadership.
Muhuza – the one who brings people together
David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and a member of the International Olympic Committee, named a baby gorilla Muhuza.
The name means 'the one who brings people together and connects.'
Lappartient played a key role in bringing the 2025 UCI Road World Championships to Rwanda, the first edition of the competition to be held in Africa.
Komezutsinde – keep winning
Dominique Plewes, CEO and philanthropy leader and founder of SOF Support Foundation, gave a baby gorilla the name Komezutsinde, meaning 'keep winning.'
She was joined by Steven Kouraas, co-namer.
The name carries a message of perseverance, victory and continued progress, echoing Rwanda's conservation journey.
The ceremony welcomed a distinguished group of international personalities from sports, business, conservation, entertainment and philanthropy.
Mpinga – on top
Renowned British nature filmmaker and producer Alastair Fothergill, known for major wildlife productions including Planet Earth and Blue Planet, gave a baby mountain gorilla the name Mpinga, meaning 'on top.'
Fothergill's long career documenting wildlife brought a conservation storyteller's perspective to the ceremony.
Impeta – an award and symbol of recognition
Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi named a baby gorilla from the Izuba family Impeta.
The name translates to 'an award' or 'a symbol of recognition.'
The choice connects the ceremony to the achievements of the people and institutions whose work has contributed to the recovery of mountain gorillas.
Nkwakuzi – bravery
Kenza Johanna Ameloot, Miss Belgium 2024, named a male baby gorilla Nkwakuzi, a name meaning 'a brave person.'
Ameloot, who has Rwandan heritage, said she chose the name to honour the strength, courage and resilience of the Rwandan people.
She also uses her platform to advocate for children affected by cataracts while championing her Rwandan heritage.
More than names
Beyond the colour, music and star power surrounding Kwita Izina, the ceremony carries a deeper conservation message.
Rwanda's mountain gorilla population has grown to more than 1,060 in the wild across the Virunga Massif and Bwindi ecosystem, making the species the only great ape whose population is increasing.
Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva said that when Rwanda names a gorilla, it is making a promise to protect it.
'Because a name for us is more than a celebration. It is a promise,' he said.
That promise, he added, means ensuring that the gorillas have the protection, habitat and conditions they need to grow, thrive and reproduce.
The recovery has come a long way from the early 1980s, when only about 250 mountain gorillas were estimated to remain in the Virunga Massif.
Today, Rwanda is also pursuing a major expansion of Volcanoes National Park, alongside investments aimed at improving the lives of communities living around the protected area.
The newly launched Smart Green Village, an investment of more than $49 million, is expected to provide modern housing, services and sustainable livelihood opportunities for 547 households affected by the park's expansion.
Oyo Nyimba, who died on August 27 aged 34, became king of Tooro in 1995 at just three years old, making him the world's youngest reigning monarch at the time.
His body arrived at Entebbe International Airport aboard a chartered flight, where President Yoweri Museveni joined a group of dignitaries, members of the royal family and mourners to receive him.
Museveni walked to the casket, which was draped in Uganda's national flag and the flag of Tooro Kingdom, laid a wreath and bowed before it.
The casket was later transferred to a military helicopter for transportation to Tooro Kingdom in western Uganda, where mourning ceremonies will be held ahead of his burial on September 12.
The king's death has drawn widespread mourning in Tooro, where he remained a prominent cultural figure despite Uganda's status as a constitutional republic.
'We don't really believe that his majesty is no longer with us, (it is) as if we are still dreaming and I wish it could really be a dream,' said lawmaker Jennifer Mujungu, whose constituency is within the kingdom.
Davis Mugenyi, a member of the royal family who attended the reception at the airport, described the death as particularly painful because of the king's relatively young age.
'It is a painful moment for us… someone who went laughing, someone who had a whole life ahead of him,' he said.
Oyo Nyimba was among Uganda's traditional monarchs whose institutions survived the end of colonial rule and continue to hold cultural and social significance. His accession at the age of three attracted international attention, with images from his coronation showing the young king seated on the throne beneath an oversized crown and royal robes.
Beyond his traditional role, Oyo Nyimba also served as a United Nations ambassador advocating for the fight against HIV and AIDS. The UN joined those paying tribute to him following his death.
The king was unmarried, but Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said last week that he had left an heir, assuring the continuity of the Crown.
King Oyo's body arrived at Entebbe International Airport aboard a chartered flight. President Yoweri Museveni joined a group of dignitaries, members of the royal family and mourners to receive him.Family members and other officials receive the coffin at Entebbe International Airport.There was a sombre mood as the police escorted the coffin from the plane.Oyo Nyimba, who died on August 27 aged 34, became king of Tooro in 1995 at just three years old, making him the world's youngest reigning monarch at the time.
The approach was highlighted by CGIAR Chief Scientist Dr. Sandra Milach during a press briefing on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, where she outlined how research is being connected to practical interventions in Rwanda's food system.
Milach explained that CGIAR is working closely with the Rwandan government on school meals, using evidence to determine how locally available foods can contribute to healthier diets while keeping meals affordable.
'We know what it takes to do a healthy plate, but can we afford it?' she posed on Wednesday, highlighting affordability as a central consideration in efforts to improve nutrition.
The work involves examining Rwanda's food supply, determining what a nutritious and affordable plate should contain and generating evidence that can inform government policy and programmes.
According to Milach, aspects of the school meals programme are currently being implemented in about 195 schools and have reached more than 300,000 children.
She noted that the benefits could extend beyond nutrition, as healthier school meals can support education by helping children remain in school while contributing to their overall wellbeing and, ultimately, the country's economic development.
The initiative also seeks to connect demand from schools with local agricultural production, including the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops such as high-iron beans.
Through the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA), CGIAR supports efforts to make high-iron bean varieties available to school gardens and local farming communities, linking research on nutrient-rich crops with food production and school meals.
CGIAR Director of Scaling for Impact Dr. Tim Krupnik pointed to high-iron beans as an example of how school feeding can be used to strengthen an entire agricultural value chain.
Rather than viewing school feeding simply as the delivery of food to children, Krupnik explained that the approach can create a reliable market for farmers producing nutritious crops, allowing food to move from farms through the value chain and onto school plates.
'It's not just about the supply of food to schools to provide more nutritious meals; it's about utilizing that as an opportunity to go the whole way back to a farm,' he remarked.
According to CGIAR Chief Scientist Dr. Sandra Milach, aspects of the school meals programme are currently being implemented in about 195 schools and have reached more than 300,000 children.
Closing the gap between research and farmers
The Rwanda example forms part of a wider shift within CGIAR towards ensuring that agricultural research is designed with its eventual use and scale in mind.
Krupnik pointed out that Africa does not lack agricultural innovations. The greater challenge, in many cases, is taking proven technologies from research and development into widespread use by farmers.
Researchers, he argued, need to consider from the outset whether farmers and businesses will have access to finance, whether there will be sufficient market demand and awareness, and whether an innovation is suited to different groups, including women and young people.
'If scientists develop an innovation without thinking about how they would drive it into scale later on,' he cautioned, 'the innovation and research stage' can fail to address the obstacles that emerge when the technology reaches the market.
The CGIAR Scaling for Impact programme is intended to address those gaps by assessing whether an innovation is ready, identifying suitable partners and establishing links with private-sector investment before technologies are pushed towards large-scale adoption.
For Rwanda, the school feeding initiative provides an example of how research can be connected to nutrition, agriculture and education rather than remaining within research institutions.
Rwanda's approach to agricultural recommendations
CGIAR's Head of the Liaison Office for Africa, Dr. Namukolo Covic, also singled out Rwanda's approach to implementing recommendations emerging from agricultural reviews.
Covic noted that the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) process includes biennial reviews that identify areas where countries are making progress and where bottlenecks remain.
The challenge, she observed, is that countries often identify these obstacles but fail to invest in addressing them.
Rwanda, however, stands out in the process because its joint review mechanism brings recommendations back into the country and brings different sectors together to determine how the identified challenges can be addressed.
'What we have seen, though, is that those countries that actually take those recommendations and go and act on them have actually done better,' Covic remarked.
She stressed that African countries also need greater investment in agricultural research. Countries have long been encouraged to commit at least one percent of their agricultural gross domestic product to research, but investment remains well below that level across the continent.
Research, she argued, should also receive predictable, long-term funding rather than being treated as a one-off intervention because agricultural challenges are constantly changing.
Climate change, in particular, means that innovations that work today may not necessarily remain effective in the future, creating a need for a continuous pipeline of research and technologies.
From farms to school plates
The focus on high-iron beans illustrates the broader effort to connect agricultural science with practical food and nutrition outcomes.
By linking nutrient-rich crops with school meals, the approach has the potential to address several challenges at once: improving children's diets, creating markets for farmers and strengthening demand for locally produced food.
For Rwanda, the 195 schools and more than 300,000 children reached by the programme offer a significant platform for testing how research can inform food policy and translate into outcomes beyond the laboratory.
Milach maintained that the wider objective is not to identify a single innovation capable of solving Africa's food challenges, but to apply a systems approach that brings together research, farmers, markets, government and private investment.
That approach, she suggested, could help Rwanda and other African countries move from producing agricultural innovations to ensuring that those innovations deliver measurable benefits to the people and communities they are intended to serve.
Dr. Sandra Milach, Chief Scientist at CGIAR; Dr. Namukolo Covic, CGIAR Head of Liaison Office for Africa; and Dr. Tim Krupnik, Director of CGIAR Scaling for Impact, address the press in Kigali on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026.
The ceremony was marked by colourful cultural performances and music, as 22 distinguished Namers from Rwanda and around the world gave names to the baby gorillas.
Among those who took part in the celebrations were former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, alongside personalities from business, sport, entertainment, conservation and philanthropy.
Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi named a baby gorilla from the Izuba family Impeta, meaning 'an award and a symbol of recognition.'
Miss Belgium 2024 Kenza Johanna Ameloot, who is of Rwandan heritage, named a male baby gorilla from the Umbano family Nkwakuzi, meaning 'a brave person.'
'I am sure he will be the strongest and kindest gorilla in the park,' Ameloot said while announcing the name.
Ahmed Sadek Elsewedy, Chairman of Elsewedy Electric, and his wife Anita Dravec named another baby gorilla Rugamba, meaning 'Fighter'.
David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and a member of the International Olympic Committee, named a baby gorilla Muhuza, a name meaning 'the one who brings people together and connects.'
The ceremony also featured an energetic performance by Rwandan music star The Ben and his crew, adding to the festive atmosphere in Kinigi.
The event has become one of Rwanda's most prominent annual conservation celebrations since it was officially launched in 2005. Over the first 20 editions, 438 gorillas had been named, bringing the cumulative number to 460 with the 22 named on Friday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Dr Justin Nsengiyumva said Kwita Izina was inspired by the Rwandan tradition of naming children in the presence of family, friends and neighbours.
'Because a name for us is more than a celebration. It is a promise,' he said, adding that the promise extended to protecting the gorillas, their habitat and the conditions they need to grow and reproduce.
The Prime Minister said the recovery of the mountain gorilla population had taken decades of work involving rangers, veterinarians, researchers, government institutions, conservation organisations, communities and international partners.
In the early 1980s, only about 250 mountain gorillas remained in the Virunga Massif. Today, more than 1,060 mountain gorillas live in the wild across the Virunga Massif and Bwindi ecosystem, making the mountain gorilla the only great ape whose population is increasing.
Jean-Guy Afrika, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Development Board, said the 22 births represented hope and demonstrated what sustained conservation efforts, strong institutions, community ownership and international partnerships can achieve.
'Each new birth represents hope,' Afrika said.
He affirmed that Rwanda's conservation approach seeks to ensure that protecting nature goes hand in hand with improving people's lives.
That approach is also reflected in plans to expand Volcanoes National Park by about 3,740 hectares and establish approximately 6,620 hectares of buffer zones to create more habitat for the growing gorilla population.
The government has also launched the Smart Green Village in Kinigi as part of the wider Volcanoes Community Resilience Project. The project is expected to provide modern housing, services and livelihood opportunities to 547 households affected by the park's expansion, with an investment of more than $49 million.
Prime Minister Nsengiyumva said the expansion demonstrated Rwanda's belief that conservation and human development should advance together.
The benefits of gorilla conservation have also extended to surrounding communities through tourism and related economic activities.
Under Rwanda's Tourism Revenue Sharing Programme, 10 per cent of national park tourism revenues is reinvested in communities around protected areas. More than Rwf23 billion has so far supported nearly 1,300 community projects, including schools, health centres, water infrastructure and livelihood initiatives.
Beyond the conservation message, Friday's ceremony offered Rwanda an opportunity to showcase its tourism and cultural heritage to an international audience.
The gathering brought together personalities such as former football stars Patrice Evra, Mamadou Sakho and James Chester, Olympic high-jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, filmmaker Alastair Fothergill, Atlético de Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín and Rio Tinto Chairman Dominic Barton.
Other Namers included hospitality investor Olivier Granet, philanthropists Garreth and Nicola Wood, Pan African Sanctuary Alliance Executive Director Kelly O'Meara, Nyungwe National Park ranger Jeanette Uwimbabazi and filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo.
For Rwanda, the annual ceremony remains both a celebration of new life in the forest and a reminder of the responsibility that comes with protecting a species once pushed close to extinction.
22 distinguished Namers from Rwanda and around the world gave names to the baby gorillas.
The Prime Minister was speaking on Friday, September 4, at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District, where 22 baby mountain gorillas were named, bringing the cumulative number of gorillas named through Kwita Izina since its inception in 2005 to 460.
He said Rwanda's experience in protecting mountain gorillas demonstrates that conservation cannot be treated separately from human development, as the country seeks to sustain the recovery of a species once pushed close to extinction.
'Protecting nature cannot be separated from improving people's lives, just as national conservation efforts cannot be separated from international cooperation. Rwanda's experience here in the Virunga Mountains is tangible proof of this concept,' Dr. Nsengiyumva said.
Kwita Izina is rooted in a Rwandan tradition in which newborn children are named in the presence of family, friends and neighbours as a public welcome and a commitment to their protection and wellbeing.
Dr. Nsengiyumva said the same principle applies to the gorillas, making each name a commitment to safeguard their future.
'We extend that same spirit to the gorillas we have named today, because a name for us is more than a celebration: it is a promise. And the promise we make to these gorillas is that they will have the protection, the habitat and the conditions they need to grow, to thrive and to reproduce,' he said.
The Prime Minister recalled that in the early 1980s, only about 250 mountain gorillas remained in the Virunga Massif, with poaching, habitat loss and social conflicts threatening the species.
Today, more than 1,060 mountain gorillas live in the wild, including more than 600 in the Virunga Massif.
Dr. Nsengiyumva attributed the recovery to decades of conservation work involving rangers, veterinarians, researchers, governments, communities, the private sector and international partners.
'This remarkable recovery did not happen by chance. It was built through the dedication of rangers who walk these mountains daily, the expertise of veterinarians and researchers, strong conservation policy, responsible tourism, and above all, the recognition that no single actor could do this job alone,' he said.
The economic impact of conservation has also extended beyond wildlife protection, with gorilla tourism contributing to jobs, local businesses, investment and livelihood opportunities for communities around the park.
Dr. Nsengiyumva noted that construction of a smart green village was launched the previous week through an investment of more than $49 million to provide 547 households affected by the park's expansion with modern housing, essential services and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
'This reflects our belief that conservation must advance with human development,' he said.
Rwanda Development Board (RDB) CEO Jean-Guy Afrika echoed the message, describing the growth of the mountain gorilla population as an 'extraordinary conservation achievement' while warning that the progress requires sustained investment and cooperation.
'The progress we celebrate today took many years to build. Sustaining it will require continued vigilance, long-term investments and strong partnerships across generations,' Afrika said.
Afrika also linked the Volcanoes National Park expansion to both conservation and community development, saying it would create additional habitat for growing gorilla families while providing neighbouring communities with better housing, infrastructure, services and economic opportunities.
The RDB chief also called on the 22 distinguished namers to use their influence to keep conservation efforts in the global spotlight, saying their role extends beyond the ceremony.
'Today, you have done much more than announce 22 names. Each name gives identity to a gorilla and meaning to its story. Each name reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure that these gorillas remain safe and that their habitat remains protected,' Afrika said.
The namers included Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, as well as football legends Mamadou Sakho and Patrice Evra.
The business community was represented by Dominic Barton, Chairman of Rio Tinto and LeapFrog Investments, and Miguel Ángel Gil Marín, CEO and majority shareholder of Atlético de Madrid.
David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), also took part, alongside Qatar's Olympic high-jump champion Mutaz Essa Barshim.
The ceremony also brought together figures from the creative and conservation sectors, including award-winning filmmaker Alastair Fothergill, known for productions such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet, and Rwandan gospel singer Israel Mbonyi.
They joined other personalities from conservation, business, entertainment and philanthropy who took part in this year's ceremony.
The ceremony welcomed a distinguished group of international personalities from sports, business, conservation, entertainment and philanthropy.Rwanda Development Board CEO Jean-Guy Afrika called for continued vigilance, long-term investment and strong partnerships to sustain the gains made in mountain gorilla conservation. The 21st Kwita Izina gorilla naming ceremony took place at the foothills of Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District on September 4, 2026.
The Farmers' Organizations Financing Programme-Rwanda (FOFP-R) will combine $12 million in financing from IFAD with $9 million in co-financing from Bank of Kigali.
The deal, signed on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali on Friday, September 4, is expected to strengthen about 215 farmers' organisations, provide financing to around 172 of them and benefit more than 35,000 smallholder farmers, particularly women and young people.
The programme will target key agricultural value chains, including maize, rice, cassava, dairy and horticulture.
IFAD Vice-President Gérardine Mukeshimana said the programme reflects a broader push towards innovative approaches to agricultural financing.
'The significance of Farmers' Organizations Financing Programme-Rwanda represents a broader shift towards innovative financing solutions. Innovation goes beyond technology; it is also about finance, institutions, partnerships and entrepreneurship,' she said.
'FOFP-R is expected to reduce risk, attract additional investment and expand opportunities for rural entrepreneurs, farmers' organizations and small-scale producers.'
Agriculture employs more than 70 per cent of Rwanda's population and contributes about 25 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.
However, access to finance remains a major constraint for the sector, with agricultural lending accounting for only a small share of total credit.
Farmers' organisations play a key role in aggregating production, facilitating access to inputs and markets, and connecting farmers with financial services. However, about 70 per cent of their financing needs remain unmet, according to IFAD.
The financing gap has been linked to challenges including limited collateral, inadequate financial records and low financial literacy, which can increase lenders' perception of risk.
Bank of Kigali Chief Executive Officer Diane Karusisi said the partnership would combine financing with support aimed at strengthening farmers' organisations.
'Farmers' organizations are the backbone of Rwanda's agricultural economy, yet they have long been underserved by traditional financing,' Karusisi stated.
'Through this partnership with IFAD, Bank of Kigali is bringing innovative, inclusive financing solutions to the people who need them most, combining capital with the technical support these organizations need to strengthen their governance and financial systems.'
How the financing will work
IFAD's $12 million package consists of a $9 million loan, a $1.8 million grant for risk sharing and a $1.2 million technical assistance grant.
The technical assistance component will support farmers' organisations in improving governance, financial management and digital capacity.
It will also help Bank of Kigali develop the tools and expertise required to sustainably serve farmers' organisations.
The initiative has also benefited from a $6 million allocation to IFAD through the Business Investment Financing Track (BIFT), a financing mechanism of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP).
BIFT provides multilateral development finance institutions with flexible grant and concessional financing to support financial innovations targeting smallholder farmers and early-stage micro-, small- and medium-sized agribusinesses in low-income countries.
GAFSP Head Shobha Shetty said the financing mechanism would help expand access to capital in Rwanda's agri-food sector.
'This innovative finance solution offered by the BIFT will support more inclusive capital markets in Rwanda to help the most vulnerable working in the agri-food sector, including smallholder farmers, women, and youth, make transformative investments for their future,' Shetty noted.
The programme is financed through IFAD's Private Sector Trust Fund and has received support from GAFSP and the Government of Canada.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali on Friday, September 4The Farmers' Organizations Financing Programme-Rwanda (FOFP-R) will combine $12 million in financing from IFAD with $9 million in co-financing from Bank of Kigali.Bank of Kigali Chief Executive Officer Diane Karusisi said the partnership would combine financing with support aimed at strengthening farmers' organisations.IFAD Vice-President Gérardine Mukeshimana said the programme reflects a broader push towards innovative approaches to agricultural financing.The programme is financed through IFAD's Private Sector Trust Fund and has received support from GAFSP and the Government of Canada.
The evidence synthesis by INCLUDE, drawing on country case studies from Benin, Ghana, Rwanda, Somalia and South Africa, found that skills development is important but cannot by itself ensure that young people benefit from emerging opportunities in the agri-food sector.
The findings were presented at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 in Kigali by Brian Kithinji, a Research Consultant at INCLUDE and Executive Director of Policy Action Initiative in Kenya.
'Skills entrepreneurship is important for young people to be able to engage and benefit from agri-food systems, but more importantly, the structural issues are,' Kithinji said.
The findings were presented at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 in Kigali by Brian Kithinji (far left), a Research Consultant at INCLUDE and Executive Director of Policy Action Initiative in Kenya.
He pointed to access to finance, land and markets, gender-related barriers and regulatory requirements such as licensing and certification as some of the factors that continue to shape young people's ability to enter and grow businesses in food systems.
The findings come as African governments and investors are placing greater emphasis on agriculture and food systems as engines of employment, resilience and economic growth.
While opening the forum in Kigali this week, Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva urged young Africans to view agriculture as a modern sector offering opportunities in entrepreneurship, technology and investment rather than as a last resort.
'Our youth should start seeing agriculture not as a sector of last resort, but as a modern and dynamic sector full of opportunities,' Nsengiyumva said.
He highlighted opportunities beyond primary farming, including irrigation, energy, mechanisation, digital services, insurance, processing and retail.
The Prime Minister also stressed the need to connect capital with these opportunities, noting that a productive farm also depends on infrastructure, storage, logistics, processing and reliable markets.
Who benefits from growing investment?
The INCLUDE research argues that the success of food-system investment should not be measured only by the amount of capital mobilised or the number of jobs created.
The evidence synthesis by INCLUDE draws on country case studies from Benin, Ghana, Rwanda, Somalia and South Africa.
It also raises questions about who can access those opportunities and whose voices influence the policies and investments shaping Africa's food systems.
In Benin, for example, the research found significant barriers to land access among young people, while in Somalia more than 70 percent of young agripreneurs surveyed reported difficulty accessing funding for their ventures.
The evidence synthesis also highlights gender as a persistent structural factor.
In Somalia, women make up an estimated 80 percent of agricultural labour but control less than 20 percent of land and receive less than 10 percent of credit.
In South Africa, the research found that digitalisation can increase awareness of jobs and markets without necessarily removing the financial, certification and productive-asset barriers that prevent young people from accessing them.
Kithinji said the findings point to the need to address the conditions around young people's participation, rather than focusing only on giving them new skills.
'What is more important are the structural issues,' he said, citing access to land, finance and markets, as well as policy and regulatory barriers.
The issue of access to finance has also featured prominently at the Kigali forum.
President Paul Kagame, speaking during a conversation with young entrepreneurs on Thursday, said financial systems are often structured in ways that make capital more accessible to people who already have collateral.
He called for greater risk-sharing between governments and financial institutions to enable more young entrepreneurs to access capital.
'Unfortunately, a number of parts of financial systems on our continent are framed in such a way that they mostly avail capital to those who have collateral,' Kagame noted.
President Kagame said financial systems across the continent are often structured in ways that make capital more accessible to people who already have the resources and collateral required to secure financing.
He said governments can use development financing and other mechanisms to help reduce risks for financial institutions and expand access to capital for people who have viable businesses but lack sufficient collateral.
The discussion comes as new financing commitments are being announced at the forum.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development and partners are launching a $200 million blended-finance facility to expand climate adaptation financing for farmers in Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
IFAD is also launching a $10 million facility to support small agribusinesses, while a separate $21 million blended-finance facility is being developed with Bank of Kigali to support farmers' organisations.
IFAD Vice-President Dr. Gérardine Mukeshimana said public financing alone would not be sufficient to transform Africa's food systems and should instead help reduce risks and unlock private investment.
Rwanda's experience offers opportunities to build on
The INCLUDE research also points to positive developments in Rwanda, particularly around youth cooperatives and institutional efforts to connect young people with opportunities in agriculture.
Kithinji said youth cooperatives are creating avenues for young people to build skills, develop businesses and connect with institutions involved in agriculture.
He also highlighted the role of the Rwanda National Youth Council in capacity building and creating linkages between young people and institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board.
'Rwanda is a leader and it provides a unique model for the entire continent on how you can meaningfully engage young people,' Kithinji stressed.
He said the experience provides a foundation that can be strengthened further by expanding access to productive resources, markets and finance.
The country's broader approach to youth participation was also visible at the forum, where young entrepreneurs and innovators from across Africa, including a significant number from Rwanda, showcased businesses and solutions across the food value chain.
President Paul Kagame speaks during a presidential conversation with young entrepreneurs at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 in Kigali on Thursday. Some of the entrepreneurs showcased their products at the forum.
For Kithinji, the next step is to ensure that participation translates into greater influence over the policies and programmes that affect young people's livelihoods.
From participation to influence
INCLUDE's second publication presented at the forum focuses specifically on meaningful youth engagement in food-systems research and policymaking.
The publication calls for expanding youth participation from attending workshops, conferences and panel discussions to giving young people greater opportunities to shape the decisions that affect their livelihoods and futures.
It introduces a '4 I's Framework' for meaningful youth engagement: intentional, inclusive, intersectional and impactful.
The framework encourages policymakers, researchers, funders and programme implementers to involve young people from the design stage through implementation and evaluation.
Kithinji said young people should not only be consulted as respondents but should also have opportunities to shape research questions, methods and policy discussions.
'If you're going to engage young people, you should engage them at a stage where it's going to be more meaningful, have more power,' he said.
The framework also recognises that young people are not a homogeneous group, with experiences differing according to gender, geography, socioeconomic circumstances, disability and livelihoods.
This approach aligns with the wider push at the Africa Food Systems Forum to position young people as entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and decision-makers within the continent's food economy.
During his conversation with young entrepreneurs, Kagame also encouraged them to look beyond farming itself and identify opportunities across the wider food value chain, including logistics, technology, irrigation, storage and markets.
'If we had the opportunity to think about that now, there is actually a whole long chain of things you can think about,' he remarked.
Turning investment into opportunity
The forum's discussions have increasingly focused on moving from commitments to implementation, with African leaders calling for investment that strengthens entire food systems rather than isolated parts.
African Union Commissioner for Agriculture Moses Vilakati said the continent's challenge is increasingly one of implementation, calling for stronger political commitment, investment, partnerships and accountability.
Nsengiyumva similarly called for credible, investable agricultural projects backed by clear priorities, realistic financing, strong institutions and measurable targets.
For INCLUDE, ensuring that young people can benefit from these investments will require attention to the structural barriers identified in its research.
Kithinji said African governments should examine the barriers within their own systems, including complicated procedures that can prevent young farmers from accessing existing financing.
He argued that making finance more accessible could be as important as mobilising additional capital.
With more than 5,000 delegates from over 50 countries attending the 2026 Africa Food Systems Forum, the focus is now increasingly shifting from identifying opportunities to ensuring that the continent's young population is positioned to participate in and benefit from them.
The beneficiaries are from the University of Rwanda, RP Tumba College, INES Ruhengeri and UTAB. They participated in the Growing Rwanda Energy Awareness Through Higher education (GREATER) project, a three-year initiative aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy through education.
The project brought together the four Rwandan institutions and four European higher learning institutions. It facilitated exchanges between lecturers and students, with a particular focus on enabling Rwandan academics and students to learn from European universities with advanced experience in renewable energy.
More than Rwf 1.3 billion was invested in the project, funding activities including renewable energy projects implemented by each participating university in local communities, curriculum development, and exchanges involving lecturers and students.
The initiative supports Rwanda's target of having renewable energy account for 50% of the country's electricity by 2050. As part of this broader effort, a study is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 to identify a suitable site for a solar power plant with a planned generation capacity of 200 megawatts.
Speaking during the closing of the GREATER project in Kigali on September 3, 2026, Hategekimana Jean Bosco, a renewable energy lecturer at RP Tumba College, said the knowledge he gained at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg in Germany had significantly strengthened his practical skills.
'Together with lecturers from Germany, we learned how to build solar panels from scratch. I can now make one from nothing, complete it and have it generate the electricity I need. We also learned another technology that allows us to monitor how much energy a solar panel is generating in real time without having to physically go to where it is installed,' he said.
Hategekimana said the skills would not only enable him to train students but could also contribute to Rwanda's efforts to reduce energy costs.
He noted that the institution where he teaches spends about Rwf 4 million a month on electricity, while a renewable energy system could potentially reduce the monthly cost to below Rwf 1 million, depending on the system and its performance.
As part of the project, RP Tumba College also developed an initiative to install solar power systems for residents of Muyanza Model Village in Rulindo District who had struggled to access electricity due to limited financial resources.
The institution plans to extend similar initiatives to other communities to promote the use of renewable energy, which can offer a more affordable alternative to conventional electricity sources.
Eng. Gatabazi Pascal, Chief Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Education, said the government is increasingly focused on the quality of graduates rather than simply increasing the number of people completing university and higher education programmes.
'In the past, we focused on the number of university graduates and wanted that number to increase, but now we need to move from numbers to competence. We want a student who graduates from university to have the skills to work and contribute to the country's development. This means focusing on programmes that respond to labour market needs, trained lecturers and the necessary equipment,' he said.
the European Coordinator of Growing Rwanda Energy Awareness Through Higher education (GREATER) project
The European Coordinator of GREATER project Prof. Paolo Ciampolini, a lecturer at the University of Parma in Italy, said Rwanda already has a foundation for teaching renewable energy, but the project sought to strengthen the practical component.
He said this would enable students and lecturers to develop and manufacture renewable energy equipment locally, reducing reliance on imports which is more expensive and can become a barrier to its wider adoption.
Twenty lecturers and six students from four Rwandan higher learning institutions have returned from Europe after receiving training in renewable energy under the GREATER project.Prof. Paolo Ciampolini, coordinator of the GREATER project, said the initiative focused on strengthening practical renewable energy skills and reducing reliance on imported equipment.Eng. Gatabazi Pascal, Senior Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Education, said Rwanda is shifting its focus from the number of university graduates to the quality and skills they possess.
