Bridging the Digital Divide in Rwanda and Beyond

The Connectivity Challenge

For the past 15 years, Rwanda has pursued an ambitious digital-transformation agenda – yet remote areas remained offline, limiting access to education, health care and economic growth. Expanding broadband connectivity was a major challenge; fibre was expensive, difficult to roll out and impractical for Rwanda’s geography. Without a scalable solution, the digital divide threatened to stall national progress.

To address this, the Reimagined State Accelerator for Connectivity brought together the Rwandan government and satellite-internet provider Starlink to create a sustainable connectivity model. By applying targeted technological solutions to national priorities, TBI has helped expand digital access to education and health care. This approach now informs efforts in other countries seeking similar results.

Lessons in Scale: From Pilot Initiative to National Strategy

This work in Rwanda shows how a coordinated effort can turn a pilot initiative into a national strategy. What began as a project to connect 50 schools – providing 20,000+ students with access to digital learning resources – has expanded to 40 health centres, enabling telemedicine, clinician training and improved patient care. The government of Rwanda continues to provide internet services in all 90 sites and is using this model to plan for further expansion.

Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire highlighted the significance of this progress:

“The partnership with TBI has been instrumental in bridging the digital divide in our country. The connectivity provided has transformed the educational landscape in remote regions, enabling thousands of students to access digital learning resources.”

Rwanda’s experience provides a blueprint for other countries, demonstrating how connectivity can be integrated into public infrastructure and scaled effectively.

A Global Blueprint for Lasting Impact

Inspired by the success in Rwanda, TBI has supported multiple governments in embedding satellite and alternative connectivity solutions to improve education, health care and public-service delivery. These initiatives demonstrate what is possible when technology is applied to national challenges.

Malawi: Crisis Response and National Scaling

Through Starlink’s technology solutions, the Reimagined State Accelerator:

• Restored connectivity for 600,000 displaced people in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy, supporting crisis response and rebuilding efforts.

• Brought 22 schools and health-care sites online in less than two months, enhancing emergency medical response and education access.

Zambia: Bringing E-Government Closer to Citizens

• Launched a network of digital service centres, enabling citizens across Zambia to access government services more efficiently and reducing reliance on paper-based systems.

• Modernised the national postal system through improved digital infrastructure, enhancing public-service delivery and establishing a foundation for broader e-government transformation.

Indonesia: Pioneering Digital Infrastructure in a New Capital

• Connected seven public amenities in Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital city, through a satellite-internet pilot with Starlink.

• Enabled nationwide licensing, laying the groundwork to reach 1.2 million people by 2029.

• Positioned Nusantara as a future hub of research, sustainability and digital innovation.

The Reimagined State Accelerator for Connectivity scales private-sector technology for public-sector impact. By working directly with governments and technology providers, it ensures that solutions are not only deployed but are fully integrated into national systems. Our partnership with Starlink has strengthened education, health care and other public services in countries worldwide including Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Grenada and Indonesia.

As digital connectivity expands, governments have an opportunity to rethink how they deliver essential services at scale. Through the Reimagined State Accelerator, TBI connects public-sector goals with private-sector innovation, ensuring transformative solutions are fully integrated into government policy and service delivery.