MTN Rwanda officially launched its commercial 5G service, beginning with 51 active sites across Kigali. The operator aims to gradually extend its 5G network, initially focusing on enterprise-driven sectors such as industry, healthcare, and education.
This rollout follows a successful pilot held last month at Kigali Heights. During a virtual press briefing, MTN Rwanda CEO, Monzer Ali, confirmed that nationwide expansion is in the pipeline, although, no specific timeline was provided.
“We’re committed to expanding this network across the country, ensuring that all Rwandans, regardless of location, can benefit from the transformative power of 5G,” said Ali.
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MTN’s 5G strategy will primarily support industrial applications such as smart agriculture, remote healthcare, and virtual learning, alongside residential fixed wireless access (FWA). The telco noted that broader mobile adoption may be limited in the short term due to low smartphone penetration in Rwanda.
According to the most recent Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey released in April, only about 34% of Rwandan households own a smartphone. Meanwhile, internet penetration stood at 34.2% at the beginning of 2025.
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Issa Nkusi, MTN Rwanda’s Head of Network Operations and Maintenance, emphasized that the 5G rollout is designed to enhance, rather than replace, the operator’s existing 4G and fiber networks.
“With compatibility already live on supported iPhones and Transsion devices, and more to come, we’re laying the groundwork for a future-ready, secure, and scalable network starting with Kigali as our innovation hub,” Nkusi said.
MTN Rwanda’s infrastructure has been 5G-ready since November 2024, following a modernization initiative in collaboration with Ericsson.
