A decade after its launch, Rwanda Nationwide Funding Belief’s (RNIT) flagship Iterambere Fund has grown from fewer than 1,000 traders managing Rwf1 billion in its first 12 months to greater than Rwf86 billion in Property Below Administration (AUM) and over 350,000 unit holders.
The milestone, celebrated on Sunday, July 12, 2026, marks a decade of progress and the beginning of a brand new section, with the Fund looking for to broaden participation and triple its investor base over the subsequent 10 years.
Launched in 2016, the open-ended unit belief was established to supply Rwandans with an reasonably priced and professionally managed funding platform whereas selling a tradition of saving amongst households and establishments.
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Over the previous decade, the Fund has attracted about 90,000 registered funding accounts, with unit holders together with college students, salaried staff, cooperatives and small companies, in line with Jonathan Gatera, RNIT Chief Govt Officer.
Its property underneath administration registered regular progress, whereas cumulative deposits have reached Rwf150 billion since inception.
The Fund mobilised greater than Rwf60 billion in new financial savings in 2025 alone, reflecting rising confidence in collective funding schemes.
“The success of RNIT Iterambere Fund belongs to each investor who selected to avoid wasting for a greater future. Over the past ten years, we’ve got demonstrated that disciplined saving, skilled funding administration and sound governance can rework lives whereas contributing to Rwanda's financial growth,” he mentioned.
“As we start the subsequent decade, our ambition is to increase monetary inclusion even additional, embrace innovation and make funding alternatives accessible to each Rwandan,” he added.
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From humble beginnings
Talking in the course of the anniversary celebration, Gatera mentioned the Fund’s progress displays a shift in public attitudes in direction of saving and investing.
“Beginning was not straightforward, however during the last 10 years we’ve got registered exceptional and tangible impression,” Gatera mentioned, appreciating traders and different stakeholders for making the journey walkable.
He famous that when the Fund was launched, solely about 920 traders had joined, contributing roughly Rwf1 billion in a 12 months.
“The mindset of individuals has modified due to sustained consciousness campaigns. Extra younger persons are embracing funding, and this provides us confidence that the longer term is promising,” he mentioned.
The worth of every funding unit has additionally elevated steadily, with the Internet Asset Worth practically tripling from Rwf100 at launch to about Rwf275 this 12 months.
Previously six years, the annual returns remained above 11 per cent.
Gatera attributed the Fund’s progress to disciplined funding administration, monetary training and rising public belief.
Progress milestone meets Rwanda’s financial savings problem
Nevertheless, Gatera mentioned Rwanda nonetheless faces a problem in elevating home financial savings, regardless of the Fund’s progress. The nation’s financial savings price stays beneath 15 per cent of GDP, beneath ranges sometimes related to quicker financial transformation.
“Nations that obtain quicker financial transformation usually save greater than 30 per cent of GDP. This implies we nonetheless have a protracted journey forward,” he mentioned.
He identified that increasing monetary literacy will stay central to RNIT’s technique.
“A key accountability just isn’t solely encouraging folks to avoid wasting but additionally making certain that their financial savings are managed prudently and proceed creating worth.”
In keeping with Romeo Ngarambe, Chief Govt Officer on the Capital Market Authority (CMA), RNIT’s regulator, collective funding schemes have gotten more and more essential in broadening entry to funding alternatives and strengthening Rwanda’s monetary sector.
“Our focus continues to be strengthening investor safety in order that the belief of small savers is rarely taken with no consideration,” Ngarambe mentioned.
“We’re additionally enhancing market transparency, selling good governance amongst market intermediaries, encouraging innovation in funding merchandise suited to completely different revenue ranges, and increasing monetary literacy, notably amongst low- and middle-income earners.”
As a part of its funding technique, RNIT has allotted greater than 85 per cent of its funds to Treasury Bonds and 10 per cent to mounted deposits.
Affect for traders
For beneficiaries, the Fund’s impression goes past monetary returns.
Ezechiel Mulisa from Kigali mentioned he joined the scheme in 2017 after studying about it throughout an exhibition.
Beginning with Rwf2,000, he step by step constructed his financial savings by means of common contributions.
“I attended considered one of RNIT conferences and realised that some folks had already saved hundreds of thousands by means of the scheme. That motivated me to avoid wasting constantly,” he mentioned.
“The cash I saved helped me put together for my marriage ceremony, and I’ve continued saving for different tasks. I save little by little, but it surely has made a big distinction in my life,” he mentioned.
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Subsequent decade: RNIT targets wider participation and deeper inclusion
Trying forward, Gatera mentioned RNIT plans to speed up progress by means of digital transformation, integration with Saving and Credit score Cooperatives (SACCOs) and business banks, introduction of latest funding funds, and broader monetary inclusion.
The establishment additionally plans to advance the itemizing of its Fund on the Rwanda Inventory Trade and improve participation amongst ladies, who at present account for about 37 per cent of traders.
“We are going to proceed deepening monetary literacy, strengthen digital funding platforms and guarantee extra Rwandans can take part in collective funding schemes,” Gatera mentioned.
“We hope to mobilise extra financial savings, improve investments and contribute much more to Rwanda's financial transformation,” he famous, stressing that the Fund’s strategic plan is to triple the variety of unit holders, ultimately rising property underneath administration.”
