The National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) has announced the rollout of eKash, the country’s national instant digital payment system, in a move aimed at making it easier for customers to send and receive money seamlessly across banks and mobile money providers.
Effective 14 July 2026, customers will be able to make Person-to-Person (P2P) transfers instantly between participating financial institutions using their existing bank accounts or mobile wallets. The service will support bank-to-bank, wallet-to-wallet, bank-to-wallet, and wallet-to-bank transactions through a single interoperable platform.
The central bank said eKash provides a common payment infrastructure designed to make digital payments more accessible, reliable, affordable, and inclusive.
Under the new system, customers can transfer up to Rwf10 million per transaction. To encourage wider adoption of digital payments, NBR has capped the maximum fee for each P2P transfer at Rwf20, although banks and electronic money issuers are free to charge lower fees or waive them entirely.
According to the central bank, customers will not need to open new accounts or download additional applications, as eKash operates through existing banking and mobile money services.
As Rwanda’s financial sector regulator, NBR said it will continue overseeing the platform’s operations to ensure service reliability, transaction security, customer protection, and effective handling of consumer complaints.
The launch of eKash is expected to strengthen Rwanda’s digital payments ecosystem by allowing users of different financial institutions to transfer money instantly without being limited by their service provider.
NBR says the initiative will also advance financial inclusion by expanding access to digital financial services, particularly for individuals and businesses that rely on electronic payments for everyday transactions.
The central bank has called on participating banks and electronic money issuers to educate customers about the new service, including transaction limits, applicable fees, and available customer support channels.
Customers experiencing challenges are encouraged to contact their financial institution or report concerns directly to the National Bank of Rwanda through its Intumwa Chatbot or official social media platforms.
