Rwanda’s Minister of Youth and Arts, Dr. Jean Népo Abdallah Utumatwishima, has expressed concern over a segment of the country’s youth who are not actively seeking employment despite being able to work.
Speaking to RBA on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the minister said while Rwanda has made progress in youth employment, the existence of young people disengaged from the labour market remains a pressing issue.
Statistics show that out of Rwanda’s population of over 13 million, nearly four million are aged between 16 and 30. Of these, 52% are employed, while 24% are still in education or training.
The remaining 24% includes 14% who are unemployed but actively looking for work, and 10% who are neither working nor seeking employment.
Utumatwishima noted that this group is particularly worrying, as they are not only outside the labour force but also less likely to take advantage of available opportunities.
He emphasised that unlike unemployed youth who are ready to work, those unwilling to seek jobs present a more complex challenge and risk turning to unproductive activities.
The minister said government interventions are ongoing to expand employment opportunities, especially for youth in rural areas where education levels remain relatively low.
He pointed out that about half of the youth population has only completed primary education, making it harder to integrate them into formal employment.
To address this gap, the government has rolled out programmes such as the Road Maintenance Programme, which engages young people in maintaining feeder roads across 27 districts.
Launched in 2021, the initiative has supported 158 youth-led companies and is expected to generate more than 26,000 jobs.
Additional efforts, including water infrastructure maintenance programmes, are also being scaled up to create further employment opportunities, with over 5,000 jobs projected.
