The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has exceeded its revenue target for the 2024/25 fiscal year, collecting more than Rwf3,079 billion against a projected Rwf3,041 billion, representing a surplus of Rwf38 billion. The announcement was made on Tuesday, July 8, during a press briefing in Kigali.
Commissioner General Ronald Niwenshuti attributed the achievement to reinforced compliance efforts, incentives for taxpayers, and robust economic performance. Tax revenues grew by 16.7 per cent compared to the previous year, with RRA contributing over 52.9 per cent to the national budget.
Key factors behind the performance include the expansion of Electronic Billing Machine (EBM) usage, with 147,700 devices distributed — a 25 per cent increase from the previous year. The VAT reward scheme, which offers consumers 10 per cent cashback on VAT paid, benefited 83,356 individuals and returned over Rwf1 billion to buyers.
Through a voluntary disclosure program, 5,328 taxpayers declared previously undisclosed arrears, contributing Rwf18.1 billion. The government waived penalties and interest for participants in the initiative.
Customs revenues also rose following a 21.9 per cent growth in imports, surpassing the earlier projection of 16.3 per cent. Anti-smuggling measures led to the recovery of Rwf14.6 billion, with 1,430 cases intercepted. Targeted enforcement allowed the tax body to recover Rwf278 billion in arrears.
The country’s average economic growth rate of 8 per cent also played a key role in strengthening the tax base.
For the 2025/26 fiscal year, RRA has been tasked with collecting Rwf3,628 billion, representing 53 per cent of Rwanda’s national budget, which exceeds Rwf7 trillion. RRA says it will focus on improving registration, filing, payment, and reporting accuracy through its compliance improvement plan.