What Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board does

Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board (RMB) is a statutory government regulatory body established by Presidential Order No. 028/01 of 18 May 2023, serving as the sole regulator for all mining, petroleum, and gas activities in Rwanda. Headquartered in Kigali, RMB's mandate covers licensing, inspection, geological surveys, mineral certification, traceability, and geohazards monitoring across the mining, quarry, oil, and gas sectors. Its principal constituents are licensed mining companies, exploration firms, mineral exporters, oil and gas operators, and international investors seeking access to Rwanda's mineral resources, which include 3rd-largest global tantalum reserves (over 22% of global supply) and 4th-largest tungsten production.

RMB's service portfolio is anchored by a set of proprietary digital platforms: the Mineral Certification Information System (MCIS) for online export certificates, the Geological Information and Mining Cadaster System (GIMCS) with internal portals for staff and external portals for applicants, the RMB Cloud for data sharing, and the MCIS Mobile App for verifying printed certificates. The RMB Geoscience Laboratory in Nyarugunga, Kicukiro District, provides testing, certification, and inspection services using Zetium Wavelength Dispersive XRF, Energy Dispersive XRF, and Portable XRF instruments. The board also operates an annual Rwanda Mining Week and publishes the Mining Investment Pitchbook to attract foreign investment across 52 potential target areas.

RMB generates revenue through licensing fees (exploration, mining at small, medium, and large scale, mineral trading, processing, and quarry), regulatory compliance fees, and administrative sanctions for violations. As a government state entity, it operates under the oversight of the Government of Rwanda with a Board of Directors chaired by Itzhak Fisher, who also chairs the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Day-to-day leadership is provided by CEO Alice Uwase, appointed July 2025, with division heads for mining exploration, extraction and inspection, and mining cadaster and digital information. The board has no parent corporation in the commercial sense and is not publicly traded.

Name

Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board

Legal name

Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board

Website

https://rmb.gov.rw

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board (RMB) is the sole statutory regulator for Rwanda's mining, petroleum, and gas sectors, issuing licenses, conducting geological surveys, certifying mineral exports, and monitoring geohazards. It serves licensed mining operators, exploration companies, mineral exporters, and international investors through digital platforms and the Geoscience Laboratory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Regulatory Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Support Activities for Metal Mining (213114), Metal Ore Mining (2122), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Other Metal Ore Mining (212290)

SIC

Metal Mining (1000), Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Minerals, Mining & Geologic Resources Administration (BPAIAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Health, Safety & Risk Engineering (Process Safety, HAZOP/HAZID, Emergency Systems) (IMAKAOAO), Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Mining sector regulation
• Petroleum exploration licensing
• Mineral certification services
• Mining cadaster systems
• Geological resource management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Licensing Fees: RMB issues various mining licenses including exploration licenses, mining licenses (small, medium, large scale), mineral trading licenses, mineral processing licenses, and quarry licenses. Fees are collected for these licensing services as a regulator of the mining sector.
2. Regulatory Compliance Fees: RMB generates revenues through monitoring compliance by license holders with provisions of laws, regulations, directives and standards governing the mining, oil and gas industries.
3. Administrative Sanctions: RMB has the power to impose administrative sanctions in case of violation of laws and regulations governing minerals, quarries, oil and gas resources, which may include financial penalties.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RMB regulates, plans, coordinates, and conducts geological studies and mineral resources evaluation for Rwanda's mining, petroleum, and gas sectors. It issues mining, quarry, mineral trading, and mineral processing licenses; conducts mineral certification and traceability for 3T minerals; performs mining inspections; operates a Geoscience Laboratory; and monitors geohazards including earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and dissolved gases in Lake Kivu.

Product overview

RMB serves as the regulatory body for Rwanda's mining, petroleum, and gas sectors. Its portfolio includes digital platforms (MCIS Portal, GIMCS Internal/External Portals, RMB Cloud, MCIS Mobile App) that enable online mineral certification, licensing, and information management. Core services span mineral exploration, licensing, traceability, inspection, geoscience laboratory testing, and geohazards monitoring. The organization also hosts the annual Rwanda Mining Week event and publishes the Mining Investment Pitchbook to promote investment opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MCIS Portal (Mineral Certification Information System)
• GIMCS External Portal (Geological Information and Mining Cadaster System)
• GIMCS Internal Portal
• RMB Cloud
• MCIS Mobile Application
• RMB Geoscience Laboratory
• Mining Licensing Services
• Mineral Exploration Services
• Mineral Traceability Services
• Mining Inspection Services
• Oil and Gas Services
• Geohazards Monitoring
• Rwanda Mining Week

Quantifiable outcome

• 17.7% increase in mining sector output (June 2025 vs June 2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Geological Survey of India (GSI)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2026India expressed interest in strengthening collaboration on Rwanda's mineral resources. Cooperation would be facilitated through institutional engagement between GSI and RMB. Part of broader India-Rwanda trade diversification efforts.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026JICA delegation engaged with RMB on disaster risk reduction technologies. Meeting focused on Japan's advanced DRR technologies and their application in addressing Rwanda's geohazards including floods, landslides, and climate-induced hazards.
• Georgia Tech's Scheller College of BusinessminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026RMB hosted MBA students from Georgia Tech for ongoing MBA International Practicum collaboration. Student projects focus on mitigating illegal mining and unlocking value through monetization of mining waste and tailings.
• Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025World's largest company processing uranium fuel pellets, beryllium, tantalum, and niobium products. Discussions focused on supercharging Rwanda's critical minerals sector through technology transfer, investment, and local expertise development.
• Samruk-KazynacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund signed cooperation agreement with Rwanda on critical minerals, focusing on geological exploration, mineral resource development, and mining investment. Through its mining subsidiary Tau-Ken Samruk, partnered with Ngali Holdings on rare-metal projects.
• Ngali HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Rwanda's state-owned mining holding company. Signed Term Sheet agreement with Kazakhstan's Samruk-Kazyna through its mining subsidiary Tau-Ken Samruk for joint exploration and potential development of rare-metal projects in Rwanda.
• RCS Global GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2016Mineral supply chain due diligence implementation and assurance service supporting compliance with transparency and sustainability expectations from international buyers and investors. MoU signed to implement Minerals Traceability Scheme.
• International Tin Association (ITA)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2010ITA operates the ITRI Tin Supply Chain Initiative (iTSCi) for due diligence and traceability of 3T minerals. Rwanda was first country in Great Lakes Region to commit to nationwide implementation of due diligence system with iTSCi support.
• FONERWA (Green Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRwanda Green Fund providing environmental and sustainability support for mining sector projects.
• GIZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development agency supporting digital transformation and sustainability in Rwanda's mining sector through equipment provision and technical assistance.
• EnabelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian development agency engaged in mining sector development projects.
• CGS (China Geological Survey)coreTechnology or IntegrationChina Geological Survey provides expertise in exploration and geological research. Former RMB staff previously worked there.
• RDB (Rwanda Development Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiatives including investment facilitation, mining sector promotion, and commemorative events.
• University of Rwanda (School of Mining and Geology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Rwanda Mining Week and partner in mining education and research collaboration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Minerals Commission (Ghana): Ghana's statutory body responsible for mineral licensing, regulation and export oversight. A comparable African national mining regulator operating in a jurisdiction with similar gold and base-metal critical-minerals exposure and formalized artisanal/small-scale mining sectors.
• Ministry of Mines (DRC): DRC's national mining regulator, which like RMB administers licensing and export certification in the Great Lakes Region and is the principal counterpart for ICGLR and Dodd-Frank traceability schemes covering 3T and cobalt mineral flows.
• Directorate of Geological Survey and Mines (Uganda): Uganda's mining and geoscience regulator. A regional peer to RMB operating in the same East African Community framework and overlapping critical-minerals agenda (tantalum, tungsten, gold).
• Tanzania Mining Commission: Tanzania's statutory regulator for mining licensing, inspection and mineral certification. Highly comparable to RMB as a national-level mining regulator in East Africa with overlapping critical-minerals (gold, tanzanite, rare earths) and gemstone portfolios.
• Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (South Africa): South Africa's national regulator for mining rights, licensing and compliance. Comparable in scope and statutory authority to RMB, though operating at far greater scale and across a more diversified mineral base (PGMs, gold, coal, manganese).

Broad incumbents

• International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM): Global industry body defining mining sustainability, safety and governance standards. Comparable to RMB in its role shaping the regulatory environment for mining operations, though operating as a voluntary multi-stakeholder body rather than a national regulator.

Others

• RCS Global Group: Mineral supply-chain due-diligence and assurance provider. Has an MoU with RMB to implement the Minerals Traceability Scheme, making it a direct implementation partner and adjacent ecosystem participant in the same regulatory and certification value chain.
• Geological Survey of India (GSI): India's national geological survey agency, with which RMB signed a cooperation arrangement in 2026 covering critical-minerals geoscience and exploration. A comparator for the geoscience/exploration arm of RMB's mandate, though operating as a technical survey rather than a licensing regulator.
• International Tin Association (ITA): Industry body operating the iTSCi due-diligence and traceability programme for tin, tantalum and tungsten in the Great Lakes Region. A direct implementation partner of RMB (and thus an adjacent ecosystem participant shaping the same compliance and certification agenda).

Regional players

• Department of Mines (Botswana): Botswana's national mining regulator, primarily focused on diamonds and base metals. A regional peer in the SADC ecosystem that illustrates alternative regulatory models for a mineral-dependent economy, useful as a structural comparator for RMB.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RwandaMinesB

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rwanda Mines, Petroleum & Gas Board