{"id":2297,"date":"2026-07-13T09:07:46","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/?p=2297"},"modified":"2026-07-13T09:14:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T09:14:16","slug":"rnit-iterambere-fund-surpasses-rwf86bn-as-collective-investment-gains-ground-in-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/13\/rnit-iterambere-fund-surpasses-rwf86bn-as-collective-investment-gains-ground-in-rwanda\/economy\/","title":{"rendered":"RNIT Iterambere Fund surpasses Rwf86bn as collective investment gains ground in Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Rwanda National Investment Trust’s (RNIT) flagship Iterambere Fund has surpassed Rwf86 billion in assets under management (AUM), underscoring growing interest in collective investment schemes as more Rwandans embrace long-term saving and investing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The milestone comes as the Fund marks its 10th anniversary, celebrated on Sunday, July 12, 2026. Over the past decade, the Fund has grown from about 920 investors managing roughly Rwf1 billion in its first year to more than 350,000 unit holders through approximately 90,000 registered investment accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched in 2016 as Rwanda’s first collective investment scheme, the open-ended unit trust was established to provide individuals and institutions with an affordable, professionally managed investment vehicle while fostering a culture of saving and investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past decade, cumulative deposits into the Fund have reached about Rwf150 billion, while more than Rwf60 billion in new savings was mobilised during 2025 alone. The Fund also registered more than 40,000 new investment accounts last year, reflecting growing confidence in collective investment schemes and broader participation in Rwanda’s capital market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RNIT Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Gatera said the Fund’s growth reflects changing attitudes towards saving and investing among Rwandans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The success of RNIT Iterambere Fund belongs to every investor who chose to save for a better future,” Gatera said during celebrations marking the Fund’s 10th anniversary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Over the last ten years, we have demonstrated that disciplined saving, professional investment management and sound governance can transform lives while contributing to Rwanda’s economic development.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said sustained financial literacy campaigns, together with prudent investment management and increasing public trust, had helped drive the Fund’s expansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to RNIT, the Fund has delivered annual returns of more than 11 per cent over the past six years. Its Net Asset Value (NAV) per unit has increased from Rwf100 at launch in 2016 to Rwf274 in 2026, reflecting steady growth in investor value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gatera said the Fund’s performance demonstrates that collective investment can help ordinary Rwandans build wealth through regular saving, regardless of income level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The mindset of people has changed because of sustained awareness campaigns. More young people are embracing investment, and this gives us confidence that the future is promising,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fund’s investor base includes students, salaried employees, cooperatives, small businesses, families and institutional investors, illustrating its broad appeal across different income groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many investors, the benefits extend beyond investment returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ezechiel Mulisa, a Kigali resident, said he joined the Fund in 2017 after learning about it during an investment exhibition. Starting with Rwf2,000, he gradually built his savings through regular contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I attended one of RNIT meetings and realised that some people had already saved millions through the scheme. That motivated me to save consistently,” Mulisa said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The money I saved helped me prepare for my wedding, and I have continued saving for other projects. I save little by little, but it has made a significant difference in my life.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the Fund’s growth, Gatera said Rwanda still faces the challenge of increasing domestic savings, noting that the country’s savings rate remains below 15 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), lower than levels typically associated with faster economic transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Countries that achieve faster economic transformation often save more than 30 per cent of GDP. This means we still have a long journey ahead,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A key responsibility is not only encouraging people to save but also ensuring that their savings are managed prudently and continue creating value.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romeo Ngarambe, Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), said collective investment schemes are becoming increasingly important in broadening access to investment opportunities and strengthening Rwanda’s financial sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Our focus continues to be strengthening investor protection so that the trust of small savers is never taken for granted,” Ngarambe said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are also enhancing market transparency, promoting good governance among market intermediaries, encouraging innovation in investment products suited to different income levels, and expanding financial literacy, particularly among low- and middle-income earners.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RNIT said more than 85 per cent of the Fund’s portfolio is invested in Treasury Bonds, while about 10 per cent is allocated to fixed deposits as part of a strategy focused on preserving capital and generating stable long-term returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Gatera said RNIT plans to accelerate growth by expanding digital investment platforms, strengthening partnerships with Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) and commercial banks, introducing new investment products and pursuing the listing of the Fund on the Rwanda Stock Exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The institution also aims to increase participation among women, who currently account for about 37 per cent of investors, while tripling the number of unit holders over the next decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We will continue deepening financial literacy, strengthening digital investment platforms and ensuring more Rwandans can participate in collective investment schemes,” Gatera said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We hope to mobilise more savings, increase investments and contribute even more to Rwanda’s economic transformation.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rwanda National Investment Trust’s (RNIT) flagship Iterambere Fund has surpassed Rwf86 billion in assets under management (AUM), underscoring growing interest in collective investment schemes as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,3,38,53,4,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current_affairs","category-economy","category-facts_on_rwanda","category-featured-stories","category-finance","category-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2297"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2305,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2297\/revisions\/2305"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedawnrwanda.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}