Rwanda Market Potential for a Software Company

Vipi Talkers,

I need some business advice from someone who understands the Rwanda market, I am looking to venture into the Rwanda market and open a replica of my Kenyan based software company there. We deal with ERP and Point of Sale Software such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV and a Hospitality solution for Restaurants/Hotels so our target industries are Retail/Trading, Hospitality, Construction, Manufacturing, Government, Petroleum.

Do we have to register a company there or can you get business from Rwandese companies though your office is based here in Nairobi. What are the requirements for registering a Company there and is there a requirement that one of the Directors has to be Rwandese. I will appreciate your advice as I am looking to go there for 2 weeks in Feb or March 2020.

Forrowing

Bro Kuja. Mimi i relocated to Kigali in 3 weeks I have been here. I have opened a company now am getting my work permit next week God willing.

Here the market iko. Kama ukona capital bro here you make it.

As a Kenyan you PAY ZERO. In any thing.

You can open a company ALONE.
You can win tenders as a Kenyan Co.

Opening a Company in Rwanda.

Start with a business name. It’s easy to do. After make it a limited company.
Email address
Passport number.
Done online free of charge.

Work permit.

Business registration cert.
Police Clearance.
Letter of introduction to director of immigration.
C.V.

Rest is you and your God.

All done in 2 days.

Always a Rule in Rwanda.

Do business which you won’t raise Govt eyebrows. Always Pay Taxes.
Never Ever Assault anyone. Even a slap bro.
Never ever give or take a bribe no matter how small, ata soo will take you to jail.

The rest HARDWORK PAYS. There is a sense of things will get better here. If you do correct things, mambo will fall into place.

Personal advice…

Keep off Rwandan Girls if you want to make it. Am told many Kenyan investors come but wanakula doo even before starting anything. They can confuse you with their beauty and manners.

what do you mean business that won’t raise eyebrows

Asande bro…

Quick one why is there a need to register a business name first cant i just do a limited company to begin with…

Also dont talk about Rwanda politics.
Or mention Hutu and Tutsi differences

Very very important. It’s a taboo worse than claiming you are an atheist in the middle of a church service.

Some business you won’t succeed.

  1. CCTV business its already a Govt job. Everywhere it’s littered with CCTV.
  2. Taxi business you can’t hack it. Huku hakuna uber sijui what. Govt Vw are taxi. Imagine how Farouk kibet bought 1000 cars akaweka kwa uber… Such actions huku will raise eyebrows sana.
  3. Any business that you see your biggest competitor is Govt then wacha.
  4. Kazi kama ya matatu huku hakuna.

A limited company is also good but a rule in business start small then grow. In Kigali usianze na vitisho ndio watu wakujue you will raise a very big suspicion. Then here people know each other its a small capital city. Start with a business name for 2 months. See how it goes if kuna positive hopes. Now go all out but in bits.

Change to a company. Easy.
Change location maybe.
Pump more money.
Employ Rwandans.

You heard the story of the Kenyan guy who was caught defrauding people about seminar. They were paying sijui entrance fees.

You know the guy had accomplished everything, problem ilikam when to many people were in Kigali Convention on the line wanting to enter the seminar, ndio police started to ask what’s up, the guy was busted almost last minute. Sentence to jail. So always do things polepole na you will make it spend 3 months max ukiwa rada

Sande sana…

Now about logistics any decent Hotel but at low cost preferably central Kigali i can use as my operation base for the 2 weeks or is Air BNB a better option something close to 1k to 1500kshs in rwandese franc that is 9,400Rwf to 14,000Rwf. Somewhere I can avoid those Rwandese girls u mentioned earlier…hehe

It depends bro. If you want come ntakupea 1 room ya kujilaza free of charge. Nothing fancy but near US Embassy, Rwandan Police Headquarters… But am coming to Nairobi sai sai. Flight ya 4pm. I need to get police clearance for work permit purposes. So if you want we can meet up while in Nairobi we chat.

Ok cool…we can meet when you are around…

Are you in the software business…in rwanda? This is something i also want to do there?