This thematic report presents findings from the Seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7), with comparisons to EICV5 (2016/17) to assess progress across key utility and infrastructure domains in Rwanda.
Water and Sanitation:
Access to improved drinking water sources increased nationally from 87% in 2016/17 to 90% in 2023/24, with higher rates in urban areas (97%) than rural areas (87%). Access to improved sanitation facilities increased from 86% in 2016/17 to 94% in 2023/24.
When considering only improved toilet facilities that are not shared with individuals from other households, the proportion rose from 66% to 72% over the same period.
Energy
The use of electricity for lighting increased from 34% in 2016/17 to 72% in 2023/24. Half of Rwandan households are connected to the national grid, 22% use solar power, and 1% access both.
In rural areas, firewood remains the dominant cooking fuel (92.5%), while 51% of urban households use charcoal. Only 5% of households use modern stoves like gas or electric.
Housing
Households living in Imidugudu settlements increased from 59% to 68%. Use of metal sheet roofing rose from 67% to 76%, and cement-covered mud brick walls increased from 30% to 42%.
Cement flooring usage rose from 26% to 35%, with urban households leading at 60%. Tile usage doubled to 4% nationwide. About 22% of households have rainwater management systems.
Access to essential services improved, with those walking over two hours to health centres dropping from 8% to 7%, while those walking less than 30 minutes increased from 22% to 30%.
Transport
Access to all-weather roads remains nearly universal (99%), with 95% of rural households reaching roads within 20 minutes. Nationally, 67% of households live within 200 meters of an all-weather road.
Satisfaction with these roads stands at 62%, with 20% perceiving quality improvements. Public transport accessibility is better in urban areas; 54% of urban and 17% of rural households are within 20 minutes of a transport stage. Bicycle ownership is higher in rural areas (16%) compared to urban (12%), while private car ownership in urban areas is 6%.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Mobile phone ownership reached 85%, and 30% of households had internet access at home in 2023/24, up from 17% in 2016/17. Internet access was significantly higher in urban areas (56%) than rural (19%).
Public internet service usage increased dramatically from 1% to 42%, with highest usage in Northern Province (51%). User satisfaction with internet services is high, with 97% of households reporting satisfaction in 2023/24.