The Economic Case for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in East Africa - Rwanda Focus
Interactive Africa, Rwanda City Map - 2025 Edition
Figure 1: Interactive Africa, Rwanda City Map - 2025 Edition. Use Ctrl + scroll (or pinch to zoom) to zoom in and out of the map. Click a city bubble for more information.
This paper presents the top-line findings on Rwanda, from Open for Business’ Economic Case for LGBTQ+ Inclusion in East Africa report.
Inclusive and diverse societies are better for business and economic growth. Our research shows that economically successful countries tend to be those with better records on LGBTQ+ rights. For example, analyses demonstrate correlations between LGBTQ+ rights in sub-Saharan Africa and:
Economic Growth (GDP)
Competitiveness (Global Competitiveness Index)
Innovation (Global Innovation Index)
Workforce Participation
Furthermore, our research tells us that:
Every year, LGBTQ+ discrimination costs Rwanda up to RF 59.3 billion (USD 45.1 million) amounting to 0.32% of GDP.
Open for Business’ Cities Rating Report shows Kigali as ‘not open for business’ with a rating of ‘D’.
Rwanda has an opportunity to integrate LGBTQ+ inclusion as part of its broader development agenda.
