The Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) has sanctioned internet service provider GVA Rwanda Ltd, commonly known as CanalBox, following days of widespread service disruptions that left many customers across Rwanda frustrated and unable to access stable internet.
The complaints, which increased sharply during the outages, came from households, businesses, and other users who said the poor connectivity disrupted work, communication, and daily operations. Many customers reported slow speeds, frequent disconnections, and complete service interruptions over several days.
In a statement issued on Monday, April 27, RURA said the company had been penalised under Article 269 of Law No. 24/2016 for continued non-compliance with service standards. The regulator ordered CanalBox to compensate all customers affected between April 13 and April 20, 2026, and to pay daily penalties until stable service is fully restored.
RURA also instructed the company to submit regular progress reports within the required timelines. The regulator said it will closely monitor compliance, warning that failure to meet the set requirements could lead to further action.
“GVA has committed to compliance, and RURA will continue to closely monitor progress to ensure full service stability. Failure to comply will result in further regulatory action,” RURA said.
The sanctions follow earlier enforcement steps. On April 21, RURA summoned CanalBox management after receiving numerous complaints about poor internet connectivity. The company was later invited to a formal hearing to explain the disruptions and present corrective measures.
The disruptions were initially linked to a major fiber optic fault with the company’s international provider overseas, which affected network stability and internet speeds.
