You register a business in Rwanda online, through the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Registration is free, and RDB says it is done within six working hours once the application meets its requirements.
How to Register a Company
RDB's business registration page lists what you need:
an active email address
an ID card or passport for each person named
a local, physical address in Rwanda as the company's registered address
for a company shareholder, its certificate of incorporation and articles of association
The company name must be approved before incorporation. Shareholders can be Rwandan nationals, foreigners or companies, and there is no limit on how many. Registration is complete when you receive the certificate of incorporation.
If you are in Rwanda and get stuck online, the Office of the Registrar General has a support team to help.
Sectors RDB Promotes
RDB keeps a page for each sector it is looking for investors in, with the opportunities and incentives for each. The list on its investment opportunities page includes:
agriculture
tourism
information and communication technology (ICT)
manufacturing
infrastructure and energy
financial services
real estate and construction
Start with the sector page for your idea. Each one names the gaps RDB wants filled, which is a better guide than any general list.
A Note on Old Rankings
Older articles, including the first version of this one, quote the World Bank's Doing Business ranking. The World Bank discontinued that report in September 2021, so treat any ranking from it as history, not a current measure.
A Base While You Set Up
A first trip to register a company usually means meetings. Step Town Hotel has a meeting room that seats 14, fast Wi-Fi in every room and a reception desk open 24 hours, per its about page. Kigali International Airport is about 15 minutes away.
See the rooms and reserve your dates.