Nyungwe visitor growth lifts revenue sharing to six community projects
Steady growth in visitors to Nyungwe National Park – from 2,386 in 2005 to 29,667 in 2024 – has expanded Rwanda’s tourism revenue‑sharing programme, unlocking more than Rwf1.2 billion in 2024/25 from under Rwf50 million in 2008, according to park management. The rise is attributed to Rwanda’s high‑value, low‑volume strategy, Nyungwe’s inscription as the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a Public‑Private Partnership between RDB and African Parks that has added products such as the Canopy Walkway, new trails and a 1,900‑metre zipline.
In 2026, six community projects around the park will be funded – two in Karongi and one each in Rusizi, Nyamasheke, Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe – with allocations of Rwf375m (Nyamasheke), Rwf228m (Rusizi), Rwf268m (Nyamagabe), Rwf268m (Nyaruguru) and Rwf107m (Karongi). Planned uses include upgrading Rasano Health Centre in Rusizi, providing 100 pigs for Mutuntu Sector and building three classrooms in Twumba Sector in Karongi. Only conservation‑linked projects that address pressures such as poaching, wildfires and human–wildlife conflict are eligible. Nationwide, more than Rwf5 billion will be shared with communities neighbouring Rwanda’s parks this year, taking total revenue sharing over 20 years to Rwf18 billion after the community share rose from 5% to 10% in 2017.
Source: The New Times Publications
