Investors from across Rwanda and abroad have turned their attention to Huye District to explore investment opportunities, particularly in accommodation, one of the city’s most pressing needs.
The investors met at the Huye Investment Forum on September 30, 2026, where they were presented with opportunities to invest in accommodation facilities for people visiting Huye and neighbouring districts.
In presenting the opportunities, Huye District Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Kamana Andrée, told investors that investing in the district offered significant opportunities.
She said: “Huye has a large number of visitors and university students, but accommodations are few. The University has more than 18,000 students and the University does not have the capacity to accommodate all of them. Whoever builds accommodations would not make a loss.”
She added that Huye currently has two four-star hotels with a combined capacity of 300 people. When international conferences are held in the city, visitors often struggle to find accommodation.
University of Rwanda Seeks Investment Partners
Prof. Kayihura Didace Muganga, who represented the University of Rwanda at the meeting, urged investors to engage with the institution, which has a project to develop accommodation facilities.
He said: “We have a project to build a hotel that will consist of four parts, including a four-star hotel section, a two-star section, a regular hotel and affordable accommodations. All these sections will be contained in one building. Those who wish to invest can approach us and we start discussions because we have the capital, but we need partners.”
Investors Highlight Challenges
Investor Rutayisire François said that although investing in accommodation was important, investors also faced the risk of losses.
He said: “Building a four-star hotel is very expensive and a person spends a lot of money on it. To have rooms that will get two clients in a year because they are expensive, is a loss. We find it easier to build ordinary hotels that have cheap rooms because they get clients all the time.”
He added that the University of Rwanda’s Huye campus has 18,000 students but accommodates only 20% of them. Increasing the availability of accommodation would help more students find places to live.
To reassure investors, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Chief Executive Officer Jean-Guy Afrika said the demand was not limited to four-star hotels, as the city needed more accommodation facilities of different categories.
He said: “Those who go to the City of Huye find few accommodations. Investing in building accommodations is an opportunity because pilgrims who travel to Kibeho in Nyaruguru District stay in Huye because they are many and Kibeho cannot accommodate all of them. There are also university students and others who travel in Huye. Investing in building accommodations is an opportunity.”
Various investors committed to holding discussions with Huye District leadership to explore potential partnerships.
The investment forum is organised by the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and is held in districts across the country.
Huye City currently has an urbanisation rate of 20.9%, with a target of reaching 35% by 2029. Its master plan designates 8,564 hectares for the development of affordable housing.
