WASHINGTON, June 25, 2025 – Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, is poised to transform its public transportation system to improve daily commutes, expand access to jobs and services, and generate new employment opportunities across the city.
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $100 million in International Development Association (IDA) financing for the Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement (RUMI) Project, which aims to bring greener and safer mobility solutions to support Kigali’s transition toward an inclusive, accessible, and climate-resilient transport system.
The project will address critical challenges affecting mobility in Kigali, including inadequate public transport services, limited pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, traffic congestion, and road safety concerns. Flagship interventions include the development of the Nyabugogo multimodal transit hub, introduction of dedicated bus lanes, expansion of sidewalks and cycling paths for last-mile connectivity, and deployment of electric buses and charging infrastructure.
“The project will unlock access to jobs and services, particularly for women and youth, and support Kigali’s ambition to become a public transport–oriented and climate-smart city,” said Sahr Kpundeh, World Bank Country Manager for Rwanda. “It is also about making every day journeys reliable, safer, and more inclusive.”
Currently, only about one-third of jobs in Kigali are reachable within an hour by public transport. The project will help change that by improving connectivity across key corridors and making it easier for people to get to work, schools, and essential services. The new Nyabugogo hub alone is expected to serve up to 180,000 passengers per day by 2030, becoming a vibrant center for regional and local transit, commerce, and job creation.
“The Rwanda Urban Mobility Improvement Project lays the foundation for a modern, efficient, and environmentally friendly urban transport system,” said Akiko Kishiue, World Bank Senior Urban Transport Specialist for Rwanda. “By investing in infrastructure, institutions, and innovation, we aim to improve urban mobility while creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.”
The project prioritizes gender equity, tackling the underrepresentation of women (4.2%) in Rwanda’s transport sector. It will create opportunities for women in transport planning, construction, and operations, including entrepreneurship at the Nyabugogo multimodal transit hub. It also aims toboosts climate resilience, with flood-mitigation measures at Nyabugogo, a flood-prone transit hub, ensuring reliable transport even during heavy rains. The planned transition to electric buses will also contribute to reducing urban air pollution and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from the growing transport sector.
The project is co-financed by the European Union and the European Investment Bank, with implementation led by the City of Kigali, in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Rwanda National Police, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Rwanda Transport Development Agency, and University of Rwanda. It supports Rwanda’s Vision 2050, National Strategy for Transformation 2, and Kigali City Master Plan, which envisions an integrated, equitable transport system serving 80 percent of the population within a 10-minute walk of a public transport facility by 2030.
*The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 74 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $496 billion to 114 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $34.7 billion over the last three years (FY20-FY22), with about 70 percent going to Africa. Learn more online: IDA.worldbank.org. #IDAworks
Contacts
In Kigali: Collin Haba, chaba@worldbankgroup.org
In Washington: Daniella van Leggelo-Padilla, dvanleggelo@worldbank.org
