1 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STATISTICS OF RWANDA Formal External Trade in Goods March, 2026 Published in March, 2026
2 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods ©️ 2026 National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). Licensed under CC BY 4.0 This report is produced by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). P.O Box: 6139 Kigali, Rwanda Tel: +250 788 383103 Email: [email protected] Website: www.statistics.gov.rw Recommended citation: National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), Formal External Trade, 2026
3 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods Balance of Trade The deficit in the balance of formal trade in goods was US$ 228.44 million in March 2026, representing a decrease of 1.72 % compared with the previous month of February 2026. On a year-to-year basis, the formal trade in goods deficit decreased by 14.52 % compared to the deficit recorded in March 2025. Table 1. Summary of Formal External Trade in Goods FLOW Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ A. Total Exports (f.o.b) 152.95 194.53 226.29 26.69 31.30 33.23 16.33% 47.95% Domestic exports 107.23 128.90 151.84 18.71 20.74 22.30 17.80% 41.60% Re-exports 45.72 65.63 74.45 7.98 10.56 10.93 13.45% 62.84% B. Total Imports (c.i.f) 420.18 426.96 454.73 73.31 68.70 66.77 6.50% 8.22% Total External Trade (A+B) 573.13 621.49 681.02 100.00 100.00 100.00 9.58% 18.83% Trade Balance (A-B) -267.23 -232.43 -228.44 -1.72% -14.52% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures Exports In March 2026, domestic exports value increased by 17.80 % compared with February 2026, and by 41.60 % compared with March 2025. Table 2 shows the values of exported goods in March 2026, disaggregated by Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) sections. Table 2. Total Domestic Exports of Goods by S.I.T.C Sections, March 2026 SITC SECTION/DESCRIPTION Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 0 - Food and live animals 26.93 48.36 27.44 25.11 37.52 18.07 -43.27% 1.90% 1 - Beverages and tobacco 1.00 0.98 1.00 0.93 0.76 0.66 2.19% 0.86% 2 - Crude materials, inedible, except fuels 22.05 40.64 67.38 20.56 31.52 44.38 65.82% 205.61% 3 - Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials 0.17 0.26 0.17 0.16 0.20 0.11 -34.11% 0.99% 4 - Animals and vegetable oils, fats & waxes 4.95 9.98 13.20 4.62 7.74 8.69 32.30% 166.50% 5 - Chemicals & related products, n.e.s. 2.32 2.82 17.09 2.17 2.19 11.26 506.32% 635.68% 6 - Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 10.83 13.88 15.92 10.10 10.77 10.49 14.71% 47.09% 7 - Machinery and transport equipment 1.34 1.62 0.78 1.25 1.25 0.52 -51.44% -41.26% 8 - Miscellaneous manufactured articles 2.96 1.62 1.72 2.76 1.26 1.14 6.43% -41.74% 9 - Other commodities & transactions, n.e.s 34.69 8.75 7.12 32.35 6.79 4.69 -18.58% -79.47% Total Domestic Exports 107.23 128.90 151.84 100.00 100.00 100.00 17.80% 41.60% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures
4 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods Imports In March 2026, imports value increased by 6.50 % compared with February 2026, and by 8.22 % compared with March 2025. Table 3 presents the value of imported goods in March 2026, disaggregated by Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) sections. Table 3. Total Imports of Goods by S.I.T.C Sections, March 2026 SITC SECTION/DESCRIPTION Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 0 - Food and live animals 71.44 70.90 77.43 17.00 16.61 17.03 9.20% 8.37% 1 - Beverages and tobacco 9.81 11.83 13.03 2.34 2.77 2.87 10.18% 32.78% 2 - Crude materials, inedible, except fuels 9.16 20.77 14.29 2.18 4.86 3.14 -31.17% 56.10% 3 - Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials 61.35 63.33 61.97 14.60 14.83 13.63 -2.15% 1.01% 4 - Animals and vegetable oils, fats & waxes 7.54 6.99 20.25 1.79 1.64 4.45 189.63% 168.55% 5 - Chemicals & related products, n.e.s. 55.40 46.26 46.46 13.19 10.84 10.22 0.44% -16.13% 6 - Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 59.59 77.03 77.61 14.18 18.04 17.07 0.74% 30.23% 7 - Machinery and transport equipment 88.19 78.60 109.45 20.99 18.41 24.07 39.25% 24.10% 8 - Miscellaneous manufactured articles 27.30 28.76 27.65 6.50 6.74 6.08 -3.86% 1.27% 9 - Other commodities & transactions, n.e.s 30.39 22.49 6.59 7.23 5.27 1.45 -70.70% -78.32% Total Imports 420.18 426.96 454.73 100.00 100.00 100.00 6.50% 8.22% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures Re-exports In March 2026, re-exports value increased by 13.45 % compared with February 2026, and by 62.84 % compared with March 2025. Table 4 presents the value of re-exported goods in March 2026, disaggregated by Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) sections. Table 4. Total Re-exports of Goods by S.I.T.C Sections, March 2026 SITC SECTION/DESCRIPTION Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 0 - Food and live animals 15.24 20.67 23.77 33.34 31.50 31.93 14.99% 55.97% 1 - Beverages and tobacco 3.36 6.15 6.77 7.36 9.36 9.09 10.12% 101.13% 2 - Crude materials, inedible, except fuels 1.31 0.89 1.10 2.86 1.36 1.48 23.47% -15.84% 3 - Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials 9.14 17.48 28.82 20.00 26.64 38.71 64.89% 215.27% 4 - Animals and vegetable oils, fats & waxes 1.21 1.52 0.65 2.65 2.31 0.87 -57.24% -46.47% 5 - Chemicals & related products, n.e.s. 4.90 10.07 3.51 10.71 15.35 4.71 -65.19% -28.41% 6 - Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material 5.18 4.00 4.45 11.33 6.09 5.98 11.40% -14.05% 7 - Machinery and transport equipment 2.84 3.18 3.23 6.22 4.85 4.33 1.48% 13.55% 8 - Miscellaneous manufactured articles 2.53 1.66 2.09 5.54 2.53 2.81 25.79% -17.47% 9 - Other commodities & transactions, n.e.s 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.08 500.00% 0.00% Total Re-exports 45.72 65.63 74.45 100.00 100.00 100.00 13.45% 62.84% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures
5 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods Trading Partners Table 5. Main Trading Partner Countries for Exports, March 2026 Rank Country Exports (f.o.b.) Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 1 China 10.48 23.42 48.03 9.77 18.17 31.63 1.05 3.58 2 The Democratic Republic of Congo 20.90 39.49 47.78 19.49 30.64 31.46 0.21 1.29 3 United Arab Emirates 39.37 14.47 6.04 36.71 11.22 3.98 -0.58 -0.85 4 Thailand 0.35 2.08 5.81 0.32 1.61 3.82 1.79 15.77 5 Netherlands 0.59 1.23 5.59 0.55 0.95 3.68 3.56 8.46 6 United States 2.44 6.55 5.06 2.28 5.08 3.33 -0.23 1.07 7 India 0.95 4.27 5.00 0.88 3.32 3.29 0.17 4.28 8 United Kingdom 3.46 3.52 3.85 3.22 2.73 2.54 0.10 0.11 9 Pakistan 3.44 2.21 3.44 3.21 1.71 2.27 0.56 0.00 10 Burundi 1.25 2.06 2.27 1.16 1.60 1.49 0.10 0.82 Rest of the World 24.01 29.62 18.97 22.39 22.98 12.49 -0.36 -0.21 Total 107.23 128.90 151.84 100.00 100.00 100.00 17.80% 41.60% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures Table 6. Main Trading Partner Countries for Re-exports, March 2026 Rank Country Re-Exports (f.o.b.) Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 1 The Democratic Republic of Congo 42.57 54.56 60.24 93.12 83.14 80.91 10.40% 41.49% 2 Kenya 0.32 6.64 9.98 0.70 10.11 6.57 50.37% 3032.19% 3 Ethiopia 0.76 1.11 1.22 1.65 1.69 0.81 10.37% 62.02% 4 United Arab Emirates 0.37 0.64 0.79 0.80 0.98 0.52 23.01% 114.78% 5 Burundi 0.04 0.63 0.72 0.08 0.97 0.47 12.85% 1837.76% 6 Qatar 0.02 0.31 0.53 0.04 0.47 0.35 70.74% 2578.34% 7 United Republic of Tanzania 0.08 0.07 0.25 0.17 0.10 0.16 264.03% 210.77% 8 Greece 0.09 0.08 0.15 0.20 0.12 0.10 98.24% 65.24% 9 Turkey 0.10 0.06 0.14 0.21 0.10 0.09 119.63% 47.86% 10 Congo 0.03 0.00 0.11 0.06 0.00 0.07 0.00% 295.50% Rest of the World 1.36 1.52 0.33 2.96 2.32 0.22 -78.26% -75.54% Total 45.72 65.63 74.45 100.00 100.00 100.00 13.45% 62.84% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures
6 © NISR Formal External Trade in Goods Table 7. Main Trading Partner Countries for Imports, March 2026 Rank Country Imports (c.i.f.) Value: US $ Million Shares in percentage Percentage Increase/ Decrease 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar2026/ Feb2026 Mar2026/ Mar2025 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ 1 China 96.97 115.55 123.66 23.08 27.06 27.19 7.02% 27.53% 2 India 42.51 46.27 52.37 10.12 10.84 11.52 13.18% 23.19% 3 United Arab Emirates 25.90 24.13 51.82 6.16 5.65 11.39 114.78% 100.05% 4 United Republic of Tanzania 33.33 43.45 34.99 7.93 10.18 7.69 -19.48% 4.97% 5 Uganda 18.99 23.77 29.28 4.52 5.57 6.44 23.20% 537.11% 6 Kenya 40.93 32.97 28.74 9.74 7.72 6.32 -12.85% -29.79% 7 Malaysia 5.07 3.68 17.22 1.21 0.86 3.79 0.00% 239.97% 8 Pakistan 6.22 14.43 8.88 1.48 3.38 1.95 -38.50% 42.70% 9 The Democratic Republic of Congo 4.96 16.05 6.87 1.18 3.76 1.51 -57.20% 38.36% 10 Turkey 4.41 5.36 6.58 1.05 1.26 1.45 22.71% 49.09% Rest of the World 140.88 101.30 94.33 33.53 23.73 20.74 -6.88% -33.04% Total 420.18 426.96 454.73 100.00 100.00 100.00 6.50% 8.22% Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures Table 8. Trade in Goods by Mode of Transport (Values in US $ Million) Imports Exports Re-exports 2025 2026 2025 2026 2025 2026 Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Mar(R) Feb¹ Mar¹ Air 79.22 44.41 30.19 39.31 23.75 34.12 1.32 9.68 12.85 Land 340.96 382.55 424.54 67.92 105.15 117.72 44.40 55.95 61.60 Total 420.18 426.96 454.73 107.23 128.90 151.84 45.72 65.63 74.45 Note: (R) – Revised, 1Preliminary figures Acronyms used: c.i.f: Cost, Insurance and Freight f.o.b: Free On Board S.I.T.C: Standard International Trade Classification n.e.s: Not Elsewhere Specified Aug: August Sept: September