According to a public notice issued by the city authorities, fireworks will light up the skyline at exactly midnight on the night of December 31, 2025, to January 1 2026, as Kigali joins cities around the world in welcoming the New Year.
The displays will take place at several public locations, including City Hall, Kigali Pelé Stadium, Canal Olympia, and Kigali Heights, offering residents and visitors multiple vantage points to enjoy the celebrations. In addition, fireworks will also be launched from selected private venues, namely Hôtel des Mille Collines, Atelier du Vin, Serena Hotels, and KCC Parkings.
City authorities reassured the public that the fireworks are part of a planned and safe activity, organised to celebrate the year's end and the dawn of a new one. Each display is expected to last between 10 and 19 minutes, creating a vibrant and memorable moment as the countdown to 2026 reaches its climax.
As festivities unfold, the City of Kigali has reminded revellers to drink responsibly and strictly avoid serving alcohol to anyone under the age of 18, emphasising the importance of safety and responsibility during the celebrations.
"We wish everyone a safe and joyful festive season," the City of Kigali told the residents.
The New Year's crossover is highly anticipated each year, symbolising fresh beginnings, renewed hope, and collective reflection. Across the globe, cities will be counting down to midnight at different moments depending on their time zones.
The very first place in the world to welcome 2026 will be Kiritimati Island (Christmas Island) in Kiribati, which operates on UTC+14. The island will ring in the New Year at 12:00 p.m. Kigali time. It will be followed by the Chatham Islands of New Zealand (UTC+13:45), before larger Pacific nations such as New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga enter the New Year, with cities including Auckland, Wellington, Apia, and Nuku'alofa marking midnight soon after. Countries such as Fiji, Kiribati's Gilbert Islands, and parts of Russia will follow, with cities like Suva, Tarawa, and Anadyr joining the celebrations.
While these islands are technically first, global attention often turns to major international hubs. Auckland is widely recognised as the first major metropolitan city to welcome the New Year, followed by Sydney, renowned for its world-famous fireworks display. Tokyo and Seoul then usher in the New Year shortly afterwards, continuing the wave of celebrations across Asia.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
