Rwanda is setting its sights on more than doubling annual revenues from Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) — from $85 million in 2024 to $224 million (Rwf325 billion) by 2028 — as part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s tourism and economic growth.
The announcement was made on October 18, 2025, during the Rwanda–Senegal Sports Tourism Forum in Kigali, which gathered leaders from both countries to explore how sports and tourism can jointly drive sustainable development.
Rapid Growth in Rwanda’s MICE Sector
According to Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the MICE segment is expanding quickly and has become one of Rwanda’s key economic pillars.
“MICE, which encompasses all events and conferences, is a segment that is developing very fast in Rwanda,” Afrika said, noting that Kigali now ranks second in Africa for hosting international meetings, after Cape Town, according to the ICCA 2024 rankings.
MICE revenues have grown from $37 million in 2015 to $65 million in 2019, and $85 million in 2024, when Rwanda hosted 160 events and 52,000 delegates. The RDB projects revenues of $130 million in 2025, $156 million in 2026, and $187 million in 2027, before reaching the $224 million target by 2028.
Afrika highlighted that the Rwanda Convention Bureau, an RDB subsidiary, plays a central role in coordinating large conferences involving multiple institutions — from immigration to security — backed by strong logistics and planning.
He credited Rwanda’s MICE success to connectivity, credibility, and predictability, underpinned by stable governance, clear regulations, and a proven capacity for execution.
Sports and Tourism Synergy
Minister of Sports Nelly Mukazayire said Rwanda’s sports events have become powerful drivers of economic growth. In the past three years alone, the country generated over $30 million from major international sports events, including the 73rd FIFA Congress (2023), the FIA General Assembly (2024), and the Ironman competition.
She also pointed to the success of the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, which attracted 743 cyclists from 108 countries, 3,000 officials, and over 1 million spectators. The event achieved more than 700 million global TV viewers and 131 million social media impressions, she noted.
Mukazayire said the government envisions Kigali as a future “sports city and leisure hub”, integrating athletics and recreation into urban development. Major projects include BK Arena (10,000 capacity), the 45,000-seat Amahoro Stadium, and Zaria Court, a mixed-use sports and youth development space. Other notable infrastructures include Gahanga Cricket Stadium and the Kigali Golf Course.
Investment and Global Partnerships
Afrika emphasized that Rwanda’s MICE and tourism success is driven by investment-friendly reforms and the presence of global hotel brands such as Marriott, Radisson, and One&Only, alongside world-class facilities like the Kigali Convention Centre.
He also highlighted Rwanda’s innovative global marketing under the “Visit Rwanda” brand, through high-profile sports partnerships with Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and more recently, the Los Angeles Clippers (NBA) and Los Angeles Rams (NFL).
“These partnerships bring massive global exposure and strengthen Rwanda’s position as a destination for business, tourism, and investment,” Afrika said.
As outlined under NST2 (2024–2029), Rwanda’s vision is to make MICE and sports tourism pillars of economic transformation — turning events and partnerships into engines of sustainable national growth.