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Digital Transformation & Data

Cenfri contributes to building the fundamentals of welfare-enhancing digital economies. We prioritise digital transformation that is inclusive, sustainable, opportunity-creating and has appropriate safeguards. Digital transformation underpins much of our work and ranges from payments digitalisation to digital economy diagnostics, and digital skills assessments to direct digitalisation support.

Cenfri also collaborates with policymakers and other public and private sector stakeholders in data-driven decision-making that is calibrated to the data available and is designed to strengthen the existing skills and data governance processes within these organisations. The Rwanda Economy Digitalisation Programme is our flagship evidence-informed policymaking and data-for-decisions intervention, but we have considerable experience in using evidence to generate insights and inform policymaking and business decision-making with a view to improved economic development outcomes. Our expertise in data, payments and digital identity enables us to contribute to current DPI (digital public infrastructure) conversations.
Digital Transformation & Data

A practical decision framework for AI deployment in emerging economies

Introduction Harnessing the transformative potential of AI for positive outcomes requires careful navigation by decision-makers. To support this process, Cenfri has developed an AI Implementation Framework to help public sector decision-makers in emerging economies assess how AI tools should be integrated, localised, governed, and safeguarded within their specific institutional contexts.

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26 June, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Turning data into decisions: Lessons on dashboard development

At WASAC, Rwanda’s Water and Sanitation Corporation, data once sat in silos, fragmented, delayed, and difficult to act on. Today, its leadership can track water connection, consumption, revenue, production, and cost in near real-time through an executive dashboard. This data dashboard was developed as part of the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation

Read More »
8 June, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

How data-driven decisions fueled Ishyo Foods’ growth

Sharon Akanyana’s use of data has lifted Ishyo Foods from startup to scale-up. Ishyo Foods began as a small jam company operating from a home kitchen with just one person at the helm. In eight years, it has grown from producing jam to making yoghurt, scaling up from using about

Read More »
25 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Why using public-sector data for policy is harder than it looks

Across Africa, as elsewhere in the world, governments are increasingly aware that data is essential for effective policymaking. Yet when ministries and agencies take the first steps toward using their data more systematically, they encounter a familiar set of technical and institutional challenges. These challenges are not unique to any

Read More »
11 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

What will determine the success of Rwanda’s data governance push?

Across Rwanda’s ministries and agencies, years of digital investment have produced large volumes of data. The digitisation effort led to numerous government services being made available online, and the further development of infrastructure to support that. Even though that has been achieved an important task remains and that is the

Read More »
7 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Reassessing the role of data protection authorities in Africa

The global data governance landscape is rapidly evolving, presenting an opportune moment for African policymakers to reassess the role of domestic data protection authorities.  A key aspect to good data governance is balancing the tension between enabling innovation in data driven technologies and protecting individual rights. Since 2016, African states have tended towards

Read More »
23 March, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

AI readiness starts with data capability

Across the world, countries are exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform public services, economic growth, and governance. Rwanda is no exception.   At present, the country leverages AI models developed externally, including systems such as ChatGPT and other similar LLMs (large language models). There is growing ambition to develop locally built AI systems for national

Read More »
18 February, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Members of Rwandan Parliament receive training on AI

AI is reshaping every part of public life, from how governments analyse information to how they design public services. Countries across the world are grappling with the implications of these technologies, and Rwanda is investing early in the institutional capability required to govern them responsibly. The Ministry of ICT and

Read More »
17 December, 2025
Consumer Outcomes

Looking back at 2025 and forward to 2026

For those in development, 2025 has been a bit of a wild ride and many organisations have been doing some introspection. The team at Cenfri has been thinking about how we can continue to pursue evidence-driven impact, financial independence and sustainability with an inspired, capable and purpose-driven team (our enduring

Read More »
11 December, 2025
Digital Transformation & Data

How data interns are accelerating digital innovation in government

In 2024, the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) partnered with the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation (RED) Programme with a clear objective: to strengthen its capacity to manage data, drive faster project delivery, and use digital tools to inform national planning. Cenfri spoke with Romalice Ishimwe, Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry

Read More »
3 November, 2025
Digital Transformation & Data

A practical decision framework for AI deployment in emerging economies

Introduction Harnessing the transformative potential of AI for positive outcomes requires careful navigation by decision-makers. To support this process, Cenfri has developed an AI Implementation Framework to help public sector decision-makers in emerging economies assess how AI tools should be integrated, localised, governed, and safeguarded within their specific institutional contexts.

26 June, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Turning data into decisions: Lessons on dashboard development

At WASAC, Rwanda’s Water and Sanitation Corporation, data once sat in silos, fragmented, delayed, and difficult to act on. Today, its leadership can track water connection, consumption, revenue, production, and cost in near real-time through an executive dashboard. This data dashboard was developed as part of the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation

8 June, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

How data-driven decisions fueled Ishyo Foods’ growth

Sharon Akanyana’s use of data has lifted Ishyo Foods from startup to scale-up. Ishyo Foods began as a small jam company operating from a home kitchen with just one person at the helm. In eight years, it has grown from producing jam to making yoghurt, scaling up from using about

25 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Why using public-sector data for policy is harder than it looks

Across Africa, as elsewhere in the world, governments are increasingly aware that data is essential for effective policymaking. Yet when ministries and agencies take the first steps toward using their data more systematically, they encounter a familiar set of technical and institutional challenges. These challenges are not unique to any

11 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

What will determine the success of Rwanda’s data governance push?

Across Rwanda’s ministries and agencies, years of digital investment have produced large volumes of data. The digitisation effort led to numerous government services being made available online, and the further development of infrastructure to support that. Even though that has been achieved an important task remains and that is the

7 May, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Reassessing the role of data protection authorities in Africa

The global data governance landscape is rapidly evolving, presenting an opportune moment for African policymakers to reassess the role of domestic data protection authorities.  A key aspect to good data governance is balancing the tension between enabling innovation in data driven technologies and protecting individual rights. Since 2016, African states have tended towards

23 March, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

AI readiness starts with data capability

Across the world, countries are exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform public services, economic growth, and governance. Rwanda is no exception.   At present, the country leverages AI models developed externally, including systems such as ChatGPT and other similar LLMs (large language models). There is growing ambition to develop locally built AI systems for national

18 February, 2026
Digital Transformation & Data

Members of Rwandan Parliament receive training on AI

AI is reshaping every part of public life, from how governments analyse information to how they design public services. Countries across the world are grappling with the implications of these technologies, and Rwanda is investing early in the institutional capability required to govern them responsibly. The Ministry of ICT and

17 December, 2025
Consumer Outcomes

Looking back at 2025 and forward to 2026

For those in development, 2025 has been a bit of a wild ride and many organisations have been doing some introspection. The team at Cenfri has been thinking about how we can continue to pursue evidence-driven impact, financial independence and sustainability with an inspired, capable and purpose-driven team (our enduring

11 December, 2025
Digital Transformation & Data

How data interns are accelerating digital innovation in government

In 2024, the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA) partnered with the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation (RED) Programme with a clear objective: to strengthen its capacity to manage data, drive faster project delivery, and use digital tools to inform national planning. Cenfri spoke with Romalice Ishimwe, Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry

3 November, 2025