Irembo government services

What Irembo offers

Irembo says IremboGov is a web and USSD platform that gives Rwandan citizens and foreigners access to public services. The company page lists 106 public services and says Irembo works with more than 20 public agencies ¹. It says 45 percent of users pay online and that the agent network has more than 4,000 agents ¹. The company runs IremboPay, a payment platform, and IremboPlus, a marketplace for commercial services ¹.

KT Press reported in June 2022 that more than 100 services from over 19 ministries and agencies were on IremboGov. It said the platform can be used from outside Rwanda for online visa applications and for diaspora requests such as driving licences and marriage certificates ³.

How it started

KT Press reported in January 2019 that the Rwanda Development Board signed a 25-year contract in July 2015 with Rwanda Online, a private local technology company, to design and operate Irembo ². At that time the portal offered 90 services. KT Press reported about 5.93 million transactions over about three years and 258,243 in December 2018 ².

In 2019 the fee for a birth certificate, national ID or marriage certificate was Rwf500 each, as reported by KT Press ². Agents are appointed by private companies under contract with the operator. They are not government employees ².

KT Press reported in 2022 that successful applications rose from 1 million in 2017 to 10 million by 2020 ³.

Who does what

Irembo describes itself as the digital transformation partner of over 20 public agencies in Rwanda and runs the IremboGov platform and IremboPay payments ¹. KT Press reported in 2022 that the services come from ministries and agencies ³. The 2025 audit reported by Umunota found that processing officers in public bodies rejected or suspended many applications ⁵.

Audit findings

KT Press reported on 12 September 2023 that the Auditor General's report for the 2022 to 2023 fiscal year found Irembo lacked full access to data of its earlier system, IremboGov 1.0 ⁴. Irembo had not paid a balance of US$5,069,731 to CrimsonLogic, which had installed and operated the earlier system under a 2014 sub-contract. CrimsonLogic had not handed over data, source code and documents ⁴. The contract was ended by mutual agreement in 2018, with Irembo to pay US$11,310,356 in four phases ⁴.

Official response, as reported: Irembo CEO Israel Bimpe told Parliament's Public Accounts Committee that the balance was planned for payment by November 2023. He said the lack of access to the old data did not affect citizens ⁴. The same hearing heard that about 2,568 civil servants paid Rwf 4,044,611 for services between January and September 2022 that were not delivered or refunded ⁴. Irembo said refunds for double payments were now automatic ⁴.

Umunota reported on 11 May 2026 that the Auditor General's report for the year ended 30 June 2025 found 270,571 service applications rejected or not completed between March 2023 and September 2025. Many applicants had already paid fees ⁵. The review covered local government services, qualification equivalence, notary services and land transactions ⁵. The report recommended telling applicants about missing requirements before rejection ⁵. The Auditor General presented that report to Parliament, as announced by the Office of the Auditor General on 6 May 2026 ⁶. The sources opened for this page do not include an official response to the 2025 finding.