Kigali, 16 April 2025 – The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) has released the findings of the Seventh Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey (EICV7), revealing significant strides in poverty reduction and overall socio-economic development across the country.
Conducted over a full year from October 2023 to October 2024, the EICV7 surveyed 15,066 households in all districts of Rwanda. The survey provides updated and comprehensive socio-economic indicators on areas such as poverty, employment, education, health, housing, and access to basic services.
The EICV7 stands as a crucial tool for evidence-based policymaking and progress monitoring under national, regional, and global development frameworks, including Rwanda’s Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
Major Findings:
One of the key highlights of the survey is the continued decline in poverty. Using updated methodologies and poverty lines adjusted to Rwf 560,127 for poverty and Rwf 356,432 for extreme poverty. The results show a substantial drop in poverty levels since the last comparable survey.
Although methodological changes between EICV5 and EICV7 prevent direct comparisons, modeling techniques applied to compare EICV7 to EICV5 on poverty indicators
Poverty Rate declined from 39.8% in 2017 to 27.4% in 2024—translating to approximately 1.5 million Rwandans lifted out of poverty and The Extreme Poverty Rate Fell from 11.3% in 2017 to 5.4% in 2024.
Beyond poverty, other critical socio-economic indicators demonstrate the country’s impressive progress:
- Electricity Access: Households with access to electricity increased dramatically from 34.4% in 2017 to 72% in 2024.
- Mobile Phone Ownership & Internet Access: Mobile phone ownership rose to 84.6% in 2024 from 66.9% in 2017, while household internet access jumped to 30% from 17% over the same period.
- Education: The net attendance rate for primary education increased to 92.8% in 2024 from 87.6% in 2017. Secondary education attendance also saw gains, rising to 33.7% from 23.2%.
- Health: The average time it takes to reach the nearest health facility fell from 48 minutes in 2017 to 31.7 minutes in 2024.
“This the EICV7 findings is more than just numbers, it is a strategic tool to guides decision-making across all sectors. It provides clear reflection of the Government of Rwanda’s efforts to improve the well-being of its citizens from poverty reduction to the improved access of essential services and it helps us understand where more effort is needed. At NISR, we remain fully committed to support this national journey by producing high-quality data that supports evidence-based decision making” said MURENZI Ivan, Director General of NISR.
MURENZI Ivan, Director General of NISR
Speaking at the launch of EICV7, Prime Minister, Dr Edouard NGIRENTE said that the achievements were driven by strategic investment made by the Government and Its partners. He also called policymakers, researchers and civil society to make a good use these findings.
“These achievements we see in this report were driven mainly by strategic investments made by the Government of Rwanda and its partners over the last seven years. Additionally, the long-standing social protection schemes played an important role in improving the well-being of our citizens. These efforts have also effectively contributed to the creation of income-generating activities and job opportunities in Rwanda, and it is a clearly demonstration of the impact that can be achieved through good planning and effective implementation. I take this opportunity to call on policymakers, researchers, civil society, the private sector, and our development partners to make good use of these findings. Let’s turn numbers into action, and insights into real improvements in our people’s lives.”
Prime Minister, Dr Edouard NGIRENTE speaking at the launch of EICV7
As Rwanda looks ahead to achieving Vision 2050 and the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), the commitment to evidence-based policy remains stronger than ever. With data-driven decision-making at the heart of national planning, EICV7 will serve as a critical tool for guiding future investments and ensuring that development is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable
About NISR
Among the other responsibilities, The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) is responsible for producing accurate, timely, and reliable statistical information on various aspects, providing data that supports decision-making at all levels of government and contributes to national development.
Andrew MATESO
Public Relation and Communication Officer