Rwanda Leads the Region with Six Students Headed to Japan, Marking Its Highest ABE Initiative Selection Since 2017

On 22 August 2026, six Rwandan professionals selected under the 13th Batch of the African Business Education (ABE) Initiative were officially introduced before departing to Japan in September 2026 to pursue master's studies and internships with Japanese companies. The event took place at ONOMO Hotel, Kigali from 9:00AM-12:00PM, and brought together ABE alumni, Japanese private companies operating in Rwanda, JICA experts, and other relevant public and private stakeholders.

This year marked a remarkable achievement for Rwanda, with six successful candidates, making Rwanda the highest-performing country in the region for the 2026 intake, followed by Kenya (5), Tanzania (4), Zambia (4), and Uganda (3). It also marked the highest number of approvals for Rwanda since 2017. The selected participants represented key sectors including Agriculture, ICT, Infrastructure, and Private Sector, reflecting Rwanda's priorities for private-sector led growth and human resource development. This achievement highlighted the growing impact and visibility of the ABE Initiative in Rwanda.

During the event, the audience had the opportunity to hear from some returned ABE Initiative graduates, who shared experiences from their studies, internships in Japan, and collaborations with Japanese companies after their return to Rwanda. Their stories demonstrated the long-term impact of the ABE Initiative in strengthening business partnerships and knowledge exchange between Rwanda and Japan.

The workshop aimed to promote business co-creation between local Japanese companies, JICA-supported projects, and members of the growing ABE alumni network. It also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with the new scholars and discuss future collaboration through various initiatives.

The African Business Education (ABE) Initiative is a JICA program that supports young African professionals to pursue master's degree studies at Japanese universities and undertake internships with Japanese companies. The initiative contributes to the development of business leaders who strengthens economic and business ties between Africa and Japan, while promoting innovation and private sector development across the continent.