• Destinations

Rwanda Targets \$224 Million MICE Revenue by 2029 as Kigali Cements Pan-African Leadership Rwanda Targets \$224 Million MICE Revenue by 2029 as Kigali Cements Pan-African Leadership

Rwanda's business events industry is charting a confident course towards becoming one of Africa's most influential meetings destinations, with the Rwanda Convention Bureau outlining bold ambitions at IMEX Frankfurt 2026. Speaking on the sidelines of the global trade show, the bureau's Chief Executive Officer, Janet Karemera, described a sector that continues to register steady growth despite worldwide economic headwinds, while strengthening collaborative ties across the continent.

"We are very happy as a destination," Karemera affirmed, acknowledging that meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) businesses are typically among the first to feel global economic shocks. Yet Rwanda, she noted, continues to defy that pattern through consistent performance and a diversified events calendar that spans corporate gatherings, sports tournaments and major cultural showcases.

A defining moment of 2026 has been Kigali's hosting of the Africa CEO Forum, the third time the city has welcomed the prestigious gathering after editions in 2019 and 2024. The latest edition drew more than 2,800 delegates, including senior executives, corporate leaders and policymakers from across Africa and Europe. According to Karemera, what set the Kigali edition apart was its strong representation across French-speaking, English-speaking and Lusophone Africa, a reflection of the city's growing reputation as a truly continental convening hub.

The momentum extends well beyond a single flagship event. Building on a strong 2025, which featured the UCI Road World Championships, Rwanda has lined up an impressive 2026 portfolio that includes the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa, the Basketball Africa League Finals, Mobile World Congress Kigali, the International Security Conference on Africa and the Africa Food Systems Forum. Karemera stressed that the country is no longer focused only on attracting international events but is actively creating homegrown brands, citing the Africa Coffee and Tea Expo scheduled for July and the Sportsbiz Africa Forum in September.

Looking ahead, anticipation is building around Rwanda's hosting of the ICCA Congress 2027, a milestone that has visibly elevated the destination's profile within the international meetings community. Karemera observed that interest in Rwanda surged at IMEX Frankfurt following the announcement, but emphasised that the congress would serve a far broader purpose. "We're not just showcasing Rwanda, we're showcasing our continent," she said, confirming close cooperation with the ICCA Africa Chapter to spotlight what African destinations have been quietly building.

The theme of continental collaboration ran through Karemera's remarks. Rwanda has been actively sharing knowledge with cities such as Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, while also strengthening partnerships with Angola, Kenya and Uganda. She welcomed Africa's improved standing in the latest International Congress and Convention Association rankings, with Kigali consistently positioned as the continent's second-ranked meetings city behind Cape Town, alongside the rising visibility of Nairobi and Kampala. Rather than viewing this as competition, she framed it as collective progress that boosts the entire region's bargaining power on the global stage.

Capacity building forms a critical pillar of Rwanda's strategy. The ICCASkills Hub Africa, based in Kigali, has begun training meetings professionals from countries including Zambia, Kenya and Uganda, addressing a long-standing gap that previously left African bidders competing with European and Latin American counterparts boasting decades of accumulated expertise. International trainers, Karemera noted, frequently express surprise at how rapidly African destinations have advanced.

The destination's most ambitious marker, however, lies in its financial target: generating \$224 million from the MICE sector by 2029. Achieving this will demand sustained investment in infrastructure, talent and partnerships, but Karemera believes the foundations are firmly in place. For Africa's wider travel trade, Rwanda's trajectory offers both inspiration and a practical case study in how strategic positioning, regional cooperation and homegrown event creation can transform a destination's standing within the global business events economy over the coming years.