Rwandan visual artist Ngabo King has announced the closure of Museum Ingabo following a prolonged dispute over rent payments for the premises hosting the cultural and artistic space under the ownership of City of Kigali.
In a statement released on May 7, 2026, Ngabo said the museum was forced to cease operations due to accumulated rent arrears that he and fellow artists operating from the space were unable to settle.
“We inform the public that Kigali City has closed Museum Ingabo effective May 7, 2026, due to unpaid rent arrears that the museum and resident artists failed to pay,” the statement reads.
He further revealed that authorities confiscated items inside the museum, including artworks belonging to resident artists, pending payment of the outstanding arrears.
Speaking to IGIHE, Ngabo said the dispute stemmed from rental fees introduced in 2025, which he described as beyond his financial capacity.
“They asked me to pay Frw1.4 million per month, but I explained that I could only afford around Frw400,000. We could not reach an agreement,” he said.
After months of unsuccessful negotiations, Ngabo was instructed to vacate the premises, leading to the closure of the museum.
The artist also highlighted broader challenges facing Rwanda’s creative sector, saying visual artists continue to struggle with limited financial support and inadequate recognition of the industry’s economic realities.
Ngabo first began exhibiting in 2022 at a space within the Liberation Museum in Kigali, where he worked with other artists. He was later allocated another exhibition space in Rebero, which became the home of Musée Ingabo until its closure.
The dispute over rent escalated after Kigali City introduced payment requirements in 2025, ultimately leading to the museum’s shutdown on May 7, 2026.
