President Paul Kagame has said the international community should stop questioning the origin of Rwanda’s minerals, arguing that the country’s mining sector is often unfairly politicised despite clear data on Rwanda’s own mineral endowment and trade routes.
He made the remarks on Thursday, February 5, 2026, during the 20th National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano), which brought together leaders from government institutions and the private sector to review the state of the economy, with discussions covering agriculture, mining and private sector development.
The dialogue examined ways to further strengthen Rwanda’s mining industry, with a focus on sustainability, value addition and long-term economic growth.
The chief executive officer of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), Alice Uwase, said Rwanda is endowed with mineral resources across most of the country and should prioritise adding value rather than exporting raw minerals.
She said Rwanda’s mountainous terrain hosts widespread mineral deposits, with some sites such as Rutongo and Rwinkwavu having been explored since the 1950s. She added that the economic value of minerals evolves over time, driven by technological advancement and changing global demand.
According to RMB, more than 80 per cent of Rwanda’s districts contain mineral deposits. Rwanda is also a major global producer of tungsten (wolfram), accounting for about 31 per cent of global output, ranking first in Africa and fourth worldwide.
Uwase further said Rwanda does not rely on minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support its economic development, stressing that the country’s own resources are sufficient if well managed and properly processed.
She noted that Rwanda’s strategic focus is to increase domestic processing and position the country as a regional and continental hub for value-added minerals.
President Kagame said that once minerals are processed, their origin should not be treated as a point of contention, noting that many countries that scrutinise Rwanda over minerals do not produce them but benefit significantly from global mineral value chains.
He also pointed out that Rwanda does not share borders with all mineral-producing regions of the DRC and that minerals from provinces such as Katanga and Equateur do not transit through Rwanda, as they have alternative routes or are transported by air.
Kagame said cross-border movement of people and goods, including air travel through Rwanda, should not be misrepresented as evidence of illicit mineral trade.
Rwanda is Africa’s leading producer and exporter of tungsten, with the Nyakabingo mine in Rulindo District, regarded as the largest in Africa, producing more than 1,000 tonnes annually.
RMB data show that mining activities in 2025 provided direct employment to more than 92,000 people, excluding indirect jobs linked to the sector, and contributed over Frw 129 billion in tax revenue to the national treasury.
