Get Guardian on GoogleRwandAir has expressed interest in attracting Nigerian artists, designers, creative entrepreneurs and food businesses to explore market opportunities in Rwanda and other parts of East and Southern Africa.
The airline’s Regional Manager for West and Central Africa, Ginnette Kadagiri, disclosed this during an interview on the sidelines of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) WKND 2026, where she said the airline was seeking to connect Nigerian businesses with opportunities in the Rwandan market.
Meanwhile, Nigeria and Rwanda have signed an operational roadmap for a three-year collaboration with RwandAir to facilitate the movement of Nigerian exports to East and Southern African markets.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, announced this in Lagos during the signing of an operational roadmap between the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and RwandAir.
Under the arrangement, Nigerian exporters with AfCFTA Certificates of Origin can transport goods from Lagos to Kigali, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Harare and Lusaka at rates ranging from $1.20 to $1.90 per kilogram.
Oduwole said the rates were between 50 and 70 per cent cheaper than those offered by comparable commercial carriers, noting that Nigerian exporters previously paid between $3 and $10 per kilogramme to transport goods to other African markets.
She said the government was working to sustain the growth of non-oil exports by addressing logistics costs, market access and export financing, disclosing that Nigeria’s non-oil exports reached $6.1 billion in 2025, representing an 11.5 per cent increase over the previous year.
Kadagiri said the airline’s participation at the event was aimed at engaging players in Nigeria’s creative and food industries, understanding what they had to offer and encouraging them to explore Rwanda as a business and tourism destination.
She said: “One of our objectives here is really to reach out to the creative industry, to the food industry, to the artists, to really sell Rwanda as a destination. We’re telling you that you can bring your products, we’re telling you that you can bring your art to Rwanda.”
The Regional Manager explained that the airline was also interested in understanding the products and creative offerings emerging from the Nigerian market, noting that the engagement could create opportunities for businesses to reach consumers beyond their domestic market.
She added that improved air cargo connections would make it easier for Nigerian entrepreneurs, artists and designers to transport their products to markets in East and Southern Africa.
According to her, the Nigeria-East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor initiative had already commenced operations, with exporters shipping products weekly to destinations including Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.
Kadagiri noted that affordable transportation would help businesses reduce overhead costs and sell their products at competitive prices, adding that high freight charges had discouraged some exporters from exploring opportunities outside their immediate markets.
She further said increased access to other African markets would expose Nigerian producers to new ideas and competition, encouraging them to improve their products and embrace innovation.
She explained that the movement of goods across the continent would also benefit businesses in East and Southern Africa by providing access to Nigerian products without requiring buyers to travel to Nigeria.
The Regional Manager said the airline’s Kigali hub provided connections to several African destinations, including Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania, as well as Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
She also noted that Rwanda’s visa-free access for African travellers made it easier for Nigerians to visit the country, while its one-stop business registration centre allowed investors to register businesses in less than 24 hours.
