On Monday, the government launched mandatory online registration of businesses that will be opened in Kigali. This is a big relief to potential business owners, especially those from upcountry who have to travel to Kigali to register their enterprises.

So, this initiative by the Office of the Registrar General should be supported. Though it is compulsory, it will in a way give the population morale to register their organisations and companies, creating a new class of ‘visible’ businesses. It will also enhance company traceability by the relevant authorities.

Also, some people have previously found it hard to travel from the Provinces to register their businesses at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) offices in Kigali. Others had not registered their firms simply because they thought they would be subjected to a lot of bureaucratic processes. So, these groups will now hopefully go to the nearest café or use their company Internet and register their enterprises.

True, this development will ease a lot of other processes, including filing tax returns and acquiring construction permits.

However, the departments in charge of the exercise should carry out sensitisation across the country, and use all media, including social media, to ensure the importance of registering businesses online is well-understood. This is despite the fact that a desk has been created at RDB to help those who may find problems registering their enterprises.

Let’s support the Office of the Registrar General as we look to creating a Smart Kigali and Rwanda generally.