The Rwanda Land Authority (NLA) has said it is receiving more than 2,000 land-related applications every day, a workload that continues to affect the speed of service delivery.
The Director of Land Management at NLA, Mukarage Jean Baptiste, said the high volume of applicants seeking land services is one of the main reasons some files take longer to process.
He made the remarks on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, during the Waramutse Rwanda programme on Rwanda Television.
Mukarage explained that each application requires careful technical review and multiple administrative steps, which demand time and attention.
He said: “On average, we receive over 2,000 files per day. These are many applications, and processing them requires several procedures and a lot of care.”
The NLA had earlier assured the public that land services would be delivered within 30 days, citing increased staffing levels and improved technical capacity. More than 300 land professionals, including surveyors, have been recruited and assigned expanded responsibilities to support service delivery.
However, officials say rising demand continues to put pressure on the system.
Minister of Environment Dr. Arakwiye Bernadette recently noted that Rwanda needs about 3,000 professionals to deliver land services digitally in order to reduce delays and improve efficiency.
The planned workforce will include both public and private sector experts supporting the Land Administration Information System (LAIS), which is being expanded to handle a growing number of applications.
Mukarage also said the institution is considering closer collaboration with private land brokers, commonly known as “land commissioners,” to help guide citizens early in the process.
He added: “We want to involve them because there are areas where they can help us. They can assist in explaining procedures to citizens at an early stage.”
Land services in Rwanda, which were previously handled at the provincial level, are now delivered at sector level. Land committees have also been established at cell level, with private actors integrated into the system and services accessible through the Irembo platform.
The reforms have contributed to a steady increase in applications. In 2025, the NLA received more than 864,000 files, up from 750,000 in 2024 and over 376,000 in 2023.
