Launching An Online Marketplace For Rwandan SMEs

Written By Sarah Carroll

Client: GOPA

Programme: Enabling the Future of E-commerce in Rwanda

Focus: SMEs

Country: Rwanda

Donor and Partners: BMZ, GIZ, Rwandan Ministry of Trade and Industry (MINICOM), Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT)

Goal: To create a national E-commerce Centre (ECC) in Kigali, which is a new enabling space for the e-commerce ecosystem in Rwanda. It hosts a Business Centre, Digitization Studio, Media Studio, Trader Lab with innovative 3D printers and packaging machines and a Fulfilment Centre for storing and shipping products, as well as handling returns and customer service.

To establish a domestic and international e-commerce marketplace (RwandaMart.rw), as well as providing e-commerce onboarding and training programmes for Rwandan SMEs.

Activities: To manage work packages, including:

  • Project management

  • Release plan for the online marketplace

  • Building functionality on the marketplace

  • Website architecture and user interface design

  • Technical audits of the website

  • Content creation for new sellers, as well as content quality control and standards

  • Adapting legal statements and policies

  • Marketplace analytics and reporting

  • Training of partner companies in product and service digitisation and search engine optimisation

  • Training needs assessments and review of training materials

  • Creation of SME onboarding communications and user guides.

Results: The local RwandaMart e-commerce site launched on 9 December 2021 with over 130 businesses selling their products and services. In time, the initiative aims to have up to 600 SMEs set up with products or services on the marketplace, with 300 selling through the platform and to create 150 SME jobs. This project is running until 2022.

On 22 June 2023, RwandaMart and the Rwanda E-commerce Centre (ECC) was officially launched by IPOSITA, the National Post Office in Rwanda to provide a sustainable future for the e-commerce ecosystem in Rwanda.

‟We are thrilled to launch the RwandaMart platform, which is a significant milestone for Rwanda. Our goal is to provide our customers with a convenient and secure shopping experience that meets their needs and exceeds their expectations. We believe that the platform will enable us to achieve this goal and grow our business further."

Celestin Kayitare, Director General of IPOSITA

We are delighted to have been part of this initiative to bring e-commerce infrastructure, support and skills to Rwandan businesses.

Sarah Carroll
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