المركز الأفريقي للاستشارات African Center for Consultancy

News

Rwanda Announces Plan to Establish Itself as Africa’s Satellite Development Hub

21/08/2025
Rwanda Announces Plan to Establish Itself as Africa’s Satellite Development Hub

Rwanda has unveiled accelerated steps to solidify its position as an African hub for satellite development, building on a new national space policy and promising international partnerships. The move is part of the country’s broader efforts to transform its space ambitions into tangible outcomes that drive development and strengthen its geopolitical presence.

The announcement came during a panel discussion organized by The New Times titled: “Space for Impact: Rwanda’s Space Ecosystem and the Continental Space Economy,” where the Rwanda Space Agency revealed the outlines of its five-year strategy.

Gaspard Twagirayezu, CEO of the Rwanda Space Agency, said the new policy aims to build a world-class space ecosystem through infrastructure development, private sector empowerment, skills training, and enhanced international cooperation.

Twagirayezu emphasized that the private sector is the “engine of Rwanda’s space economy,” stressing that the government is working to provide an attractive regulatory environment and investment incentives to ensure strong participation from both local and international companies.

In line with this vision, the agency is partnering with the University of Rwanda to launch a specialized program in aerospace engineering, designed to prepare a new generation of engineers and experts to lead the next phase.

Among the most prominent partnerships supporting this ambition is with Czech company TRL Space, which has chosen Rwanda as a base to develop a fully integrated space system, including the manufacturing and operation of satellites and the provision of related services for African markets.

Peter Kapoun, the company’s CEO, said: “From our very first visit, we realized that Rwanda has a clear and ambitious vision. The investment environment here enables us to build a complete space ecosystem, not just manufacture satellites.”

He added: “We are not investing in space because it’s a dream for the future, but because it improves life on Earth. Satellites support agriculture, monitor disasters, and serve security, transportation, and urban planning.”

Rwanda is also set to host the Global Space Conference on Climate Change (GLOC) in 2026, reflecting its ambition to play a leading role in shaping the future of space in Africa, while linking space technologies to development and environmental challenges.