Rwanda Q1 2026 Consumer Pulse Study

Rwanda's financial landscape in Q1 2026 was defined by resilience under strain. Income conditions stabilised, yet household pressure and softening confidence reshaped how consumers engaged with credit and managed risk.

The latest TransUnion® Consumer Pulse Study provides actionable insights into income trends, credit participation, consumer empowerment and digital fraud risk, helping lenders, FinTechs and financial services providers align strategies with real consumer behaviour.

How Rwandan consumers are navigating change:

• Income held steady with 38% reporting growth — but those expecting increases over the next year was down from 2025
• Half (50%) anticipated missing at least one payment, turning to partial payments, savings or taking on gig work
• Nearly all (98%) viewed credit access as important, yet 49% of those who considered applying for credit did not proceed
• 70% monitored their credit reports at least monthly and 96% considered doing so important
• Digital fraud saw 62% targeted in the past three months, with money/gift card (43%) and vishing (30%) the most frequent schemes

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Use these insights to help strengthen your financial inclusion strategies, reduce fraud risk and support financially active, digitally connected consumers in Rwanda.