The latest data shows broad-based growth across all major sectors, with the services and industry sectors recording particularly robust performance.
Services remained the dominant contributor to the economy, accounting for 46% of GDP. The sector expanded by 9% year-on-year, buoyed by double-digit growth in wholesale and retail trade (14%), information and communication services (19%), and public administration (14%).
Financial services rose by 8%, while hotels and restaurants saw a 5% increase. Education grew by 5%, though health services experienced a 1% decline. Notably, land transport expanded by 10%, offsetting a 10% drop in air transport, resulting in an overall 4% growth in transport services.
Industry contributed 23% to GDP and recorded a 9% growth in the first quarter. The construction sub-sector led with a 13% increase, reflecting ongoing infrastructure development. Manufacturing expanded by 12%, driven by strong growth in the production of metal products (up 22%), chemicals, rubber and plastic products (up 15%), and food processing (up 2%).
However, the mining and quarrying sub-sector contracted by 3%, weighed down by an 18% fall in coltan exports and a 12% decline in wolfram exports. In contrast, cassiterite exports increased by 9%, with processed cassiterite exports surging by 90%, even as raw exports declined by 5%.
Agriculture, which contributed 24% to GDP, recorded modest growth of 2%. Food crop production declined by 1% due to lower maize and beans output, down 5% and 1%, respectively, after a strong harvest in 2024.
Conversely, Irish potato and cassava production rose by 3% and 5%, respectively. Export crops posted mixed results: coffee production increased by 16%, while tea production fell by 9%, following a spike of 21% in Q1 2024.
Net taxes contributed the remaining 7% to GDP.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/economy/article/rwanda-s-gdp-expands-by-7-8-in-the-first-quarter-of-2025
