All new businesses in Kigali are expected to register online following the launch of the mandatory registration.

The registration exercise, launched yesterday by the Rwanda Development Board, is expected to further ease company registration process.

Speaking at the launch yesterday, the Registrar General Louise Kanyonga, underlined the importance of online services to the business community.

"The transition to online business registration comes as part of several reforms aimed at making it easier to do business, such as improving access to credit, making it easier to pay taxes and acquiring construction permits. This will make it easier, cheaper, quicker and more convenient to register your business,” Kanyonga said.

To facilitative a smooth transition to the reform, the Office of the Registrar General shall offer free online help services and work spaces at the RDB head office for a period of 12 months.

In addition, users will be able to channel any difficulties they encounter in trying to use the online system through email.

Since 2011, when the online business registration system was introduced, to 2013, over 4,000 businesses have registered using the online service.

Using both the basic electronic and online business registration system, a total of 11,288 businesses were registered in 2013.