Rwanda’s political leadership saw a significant shift on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, as President Paul Kagame appointed Dr Justin Nsengiyumva as the country’s new Prime Minister, ending Édouard Ngirente’s eight-year tenure in the role.
The announcement came through an official statement from the presidency, signaling a strategic transition at the helm of the Rwandan government.
Dr Nsengiyumva, an economist by training, steps into the position with a broad portfolio of experience in both national governance and international development.
Since February 2025, Nsengiyumva had served as Vice Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR), where he played a central role in steering economic policy. His prior appointments include key positions in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Education, reflecting a career that spans multiple sectors.
An alumnus of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom, Nsengiyumva’s professional journey also includes time with the NGO Refugee Action and membership on the board of Greater Manchester’s Immigration Aid Unit.
This blend of domestic governance and global engagement suggests a technocratic profile aligned with Rwanda’s continued push for institutional modernization and economic reform.
Outgoing Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente, who had held the position since 2017, responded to the handover with a message of thanks shared on his social media platforms.
“I am deeply grateful to His Excellency Paul Kagame for the honour of serving as Prime Minister of our beloved Rwanda over the past eight years,” Ngirente wrote, marking the end of an era in Rwandan politics.
The appointment of Nsengiyumva signals a new chapter for the land of a thousand hills, as the nation looks to the future under fresh leadership with a vision rooted in expertise, reform, and continuity.
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