Mobile Phones Have Enhanced Access to Services in Rwanda

The Increased use of mobile phones has improved access to services and boosted the economy, the Youth and ICT Minister, Philbert Nsengimana, has said. Nsegimana noted that no other piece of technology has had greater impact on the population of Rwanda than a mobile phone.

“Nothing beats the mobile phone in transforming businesses and improving access to information or delivering services faster. When you look at all pillars of the Millenium Development Goals, be it reducing maternal deaths or poverty, the mobile phone plays a direct and indirect role on how both the government and private sector can act,” Nsengimana said.

He was commenting on the 40 years of using mobile phones, which was marked on Wednesday.

“The challenge now is making sure that every Rwandan owns a mobile phone so that no one is left behind in this historic transformation. When you look at the government, the financial sector and the business environment, all of them want to offer services through mobile phones such as the E-Soko and SMS banking.”

According to the third Integrated Survey on Life Conditions, the percentage of Rwandan households with at least one mobile phone skyrocketed from 6.2 per cent in 2006 to 45.2 in 2011.

Credit: New Times