Rwanda’s economy posted a slower pace of growth in the second quarter of 2025, with new data pointing to weaker momentum in industry and services compared to the same period last year.
Figures from the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda show GDP expanded by 7.8% year-on-year between April and June, easing from 10.2% recorded in the second quarter of 2024.
The slowdown was driven largely by a dip in industrial activity, which grew 7% compared to 13% a year earlier. Services, the country’s largest economic contributor, rose by 9%, down from 12% last year.
Agriculture, however, offered a bright spot. The sector grew by 8%, doubling last year’s 4% growth in the same quarter, buoyed by improved harvests and stronger performance in food crop production.
Rwanda’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, sectors that have been central to the government’s drive for inclusive growth. Analysts say the second-quarter performance underscores both the resilience and vulnerabilities of the economy, as global market conditions and domestic factors continue to shape Rwanda’s growth outlook.
The statistics agency will publish third-quarter figures later this year, offering a clearer picture of whether the slowdown marks a temporary adjustment or signals a broader cooling of economic activity.
