The quality of public service delivery in Rwanda has continued to decline, raising concerns about the country’s ability to meet its target of achieving at least 90 per cent service delivery satisfaction by 2029.
Public service delivery is one of eight pillars used to assess the country’s governance and development. Its main objective is to put citizens and customers first by ensuring they receive services that are accessible, reliable, efficient and affordable.
However, the latest Rwanda Governance Scorecard (RGS), produced by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), shows that performance in this area has deteriorated, despite its importance to the country’s long-term development ambitions.
In 2026, Rwanda scored 68.48 per cent in service delivery, down from 71.73 per cent in 2025. The decline of more than three percentage points in one year leaves the country further behind its government target of reaching at least 90 per cent by 2029.
The figures also point to a longer-term downward trend. Service delivery scored 81.86 per cent in 2021 before falling to 77.69 per cent in 2022. It recovered slightly to 78.28 per cent in 2023, then dropped to 75.79 per cent in 2024 and 71.73 per cent in 2025.
The 2026 report identifies economic development and technology as some of the weakest areas, scoring 59.70 per cent and 60.98 per cent, respectively.
Services related to social welfare scored 66.93 per cent, while governance and development services scored 76.95 per cent. Services provided by public institutions, the private sector and civil society scored 77.83 per cent.
Technology has yet to reverse the decline
The government has increasingly promoted digital systems as a way to improve service delivery and make public services more accessible.
However, the latest scorecard shows that all indicators under the service delivery pillar deteriorated, with technology-enabled service delivery recording a 5.9 per cent decline. Social welfare services fell by four per cent, while economic services declined by 3.8 per cent.
President Paul Kagame has repeatedly criticised poor service delivery across public institutions, insisting that those responsible should be held accountable rather than protected from scrutiny.
On several occasions, he has called for a change in attitude among public servants, particularly those working in health, sports and other government sectors, urging them to take their responsibilities to citizens seriously.
The President has also encouraged citizens to report poor service and ensure that those responsible face consequences instead of being shielded or allowed to continue inconveniencing the public.
He has repeatedly urged public officials and employees to welcome people seeking services, address their concerns and avoid negligence that can sometimes have serious consequences for citizens’ lives.
Local institutions need greater attention
Minister of Local Government Dominique Habimana said good governance is most directly experienced at the local level, particularly in schools, health centres and local government offices.
He said these institutions should therefore be prioritised in efforts to address service delivery challenges through collaboration and better use of available resources.
While service delivery continues to deteriorate, Rwanda scored 90.15 per cent in safety and security in 2026, highlighting the contrast between performance in this area and the provision of public services.
Habimana cautioned that strong average scores across the eight governance pillars should not be a reason for complacency when citizens continue to experience declining service quality.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of RGB, Dr. Usengumukiza Félicien, attributed some of the weaknesses to poor service delivery at the local level, including corruption and the absence of officials from their offices when residents need assistance.
“There are local government offices where service delivery has weakened. You find officials are not at their offices, and citizens are given appointments to meet them but cannot find them when they arrive. There is also the issue of corruption that we continually raise. These are some of the factors we identified as potentially contributing to poor service delivery,” he said.
The report comes as Rwanda prepares for local government elections, amid continued public dissatisfaction with services provided by officials, particularly at the grassroots level.
With the 2029 target approaching, the findings point to the need for stronger accountability, more responsive public institutions and practical improvements in the services citizens receive.
