On February 25, 2025, the Prime Minister issued a statement announcing that Madam Solaya Hakuziyaremye had been appointed as the Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, succeeding John RWANGOMBWA, who had held the position for 12 years.

Economic experts believe that the past few years have been marked by economic fluctuations, which is why they emphasize areas the new governor should focus on. They also mention the need to ensure that the Rwandan currency does not continue to lose value.

Prof. KABERA Callixte, an economic expert, said: 'The economy has been greatly affected, and what is noticeable is the effort to stabilize the currency, as  it has been fluctuating a lot due to various factors, including those related to oil.'

'In this mandate, she has started, instead of increasing the ability to work by relying on things we import, we should make use of what we produce here, which would reduce the amount of money spent on imports and instead help increase the ability to produce what we harvest here in the country.'

Although the activities of the National Bank of Rwanda have an impact on the general population, some people are unaware of what the bank does, as they believe it only serves the wealthy."

"A resident of Kigali city said: 'The National Bank of Rwanda? I just think of it as the central bank in a general sense. But those new banknotes... only the wealthy keep their money there, I believe they are the ones with large amounts of money compared to us. If I save at a SACCO, it’s not different from someone who goes to save at a small bank! You see, they provide bigger services compared to small banks. I wouldn’t have 2,000 to go deposit at the central bank; I feel like it’s not possible.'

Prof. KABERA Callixte believes that the National Bank of Rwanda should make its responsibilities more known to the public, as there are areas in which the population also plays a role."

He said: "The policy of informing the public about the central bank's responsibilities, especially the monetary policy and ways to increase the economy. Although there are government institutions responsible for this, it is also important for the central bank to promote the monetary policy, economic policy, and how we can overcome the challenges of currency fluctuations. The public should be aware so that they can also contribute to stabilizing the currency about trade with other countries."

In 2013, John Rwangombwa was appointed as the Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, and his term ended after completing the two mandates required by law.

He mentioned that although Rwanda is still a developing country, the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) has made significant strides in being a catalyst for development and collaborating with various institutions.

Author: TUYISHIMIRE  Yassini/translated  by  GAKUBA  FELIX  ABDULJABAR