Rwanda has an estimated 3.8 million out of 12.2 million of the population that is consistently using the internet to access electronic business applications that link them to different local, regional and international markets.
Latest figures show that the number of internet subscriptions rose from 6.0 million in the first three months of 2019 to 6.2 million in the second quarter of the same year representing a 4.2% increase.
Recently, the government e-Criminal Record Clearance Certificate is now fully digitized and accessible online to ease the otherwise lengthy process.
To better link the e-governance synergies ministries, institutions and NGOs have signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
Some of the people already are linked to the markets by internet through e-commerce applications also use of the mobile phone to execute their businesses.
Today the speed of the Internet is a 4G LTE network and fibre optic line connected all around the country and linking it to the East African Community and its COMESA partners and is not limited to SADC countries.
The Rwandan government has programs and synergies that promote the use of e-governance and e-commerce to do everyday business.
Already there are agreed measures that protect online services leveraged at the global standards like the proprietary information security.
Many citizens and businesses still use traditional ways of physical interactions, and many transactions are in cash, however, the trend is promising as the online services increase and e-government portals, such as Irembo, to pay taxes and others.
People also use mobile money payment systems to do business and all are linked to the e-government which is in place to ensure that work is done proficiently and faster.
E-commerce services have improved in the last decade in the hospitality, airline, banking, food delivery, and courier services sectors.
There are many different e-commerce start-ups that either link business-client at the local market level or other markets be it regional and international.
Rwandans can now import goods from as far as China and other away countries through different international electronic trade portals like Alibaba, Ali Express, Amazon and e-bay.
They also can make their payments through the Western Union, MoneyGram, and HubShil to name.
E-commerce has over the last decade and a half remained possible and spread due to the many youths that invest in Information Computer Technology.
The government also has ensured that intellectual property rights law is enforced to avoid hacking and other cybercrimes.
The business that uses the electronic system are commonly investing in grocery, food, travel, real estate, miscellaneous, classified, crafts, automotive, medical, and hospitality among many others.
Credit and debit cards are now used by many people in Kigali and other provincial towns where Visa Inc is being used since 2011 and helping inaccessibility to other international payment systems.
Electronic billing machines that also interlink with the internet and e-commerce have been introduced by Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) to make payment more convenient for many using the system.
There are now more than 3,638 credit cards in use since 2018, while the number of debit cards is estimated to be over 883,755.
And more than 3.8 million Rwandans are using mobile money payment systems to pay their electricity, water and transfer money to different business partners.
But some ICT or Tech start-ups still wish to tailor the e-systems with utilizable traditional values that do inspire Rwandans to engage in its development and use.
The Express News
