The governments of Kenya and Rwanda have signed three landmark agreements that will fully open the Northern Corridor for Rwanda’s importation of Bulk Refined Petroleum Products (BRPP) under a Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement, marking a major milestone in regional trade and energy cooperation.
The agreements, comprising a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a Tripartite Agreement (TPA) and a Transport and Storage Agreement (TSA), were signed at KASNEB Tower in Nairobi in the presence of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Rwanda’s Minister of Trade and Industry Antoine-Marie Kajangwe, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Acting Managing Director Pius Mwendwa, Rwanda National Energy Company (RNEC) Director Chris Twagirimana, and senior government officials from both countries.
The signing concludes a process that began during bilateral talks in Kigali in November 2024 and was subsequently approved by Kenya’s Cabinet on June 16, 2026.
Under the new framework, Rwanda’s petroleum imports through the Northern Corridor are expected to increase more than tenfold, rising from approximately 42,000 cubic metres transported in 2025 to more than 500,000 cubic metres annually.
The first shipment under the arrangement, designated RNEC 001/2026, is expected to arrive at the Port of Mombasa between September 4 and 6, 2026.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, CS Wandayi described the agreements as a major step towards strengthening regional integration and long-term energy security.
“What we are signing today is not just a legal framework but a commitment by the Ministry and all agencies related to the petroleum sub-sector. Kenya will provide a transit environment to guarantee security of supply of bulk refined petroleum products to Rwanda for the long haul,” Wandayi said.
“The volumes are set to grow more than tenfold. But the numbers are not the endgame; what this represents for our two great nations is deeper economic integration that will serve the East African Community and the Great Lakes Region for several decades to come.”
He also congratulated Kajangwe on his recent appointment as Rwanda’s Cabinet Minister for Trade and Industry.
Kajangwe said the agreements would strengthen Rwanda’s energy security while deepening ties between the two countries.
“Today marks a turning point for Rwanda’s energy future. For years, we have worked alongside our Kenyan partners to build a framework that guarantees our people reliable, affordable and secure access to petroleum products,” he said.
“These agreements are the product of trust between our two governments, our institutions and our people. Rwanda is proud to deepen this partnership and looks forward to welcoming the first cargo in September.”
KPC Acting Managing Director Pius Mwendwa described the agreement as the culmination of years of efforts to regain Rwanda’s petroleum market.
“Over the past decade, KPC, with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), has relentlessly pursued this market. We found ourselves serving only 10 per cent or less of Rwanda’s petroleum demand. I am elated that the page turns today for better,” he said.
Mwendwa said KPC has invested heavily in infrastructure to support the expanded trade, including 1.13 billion litres of petroleum storage capacity, a 1,342-kilometre pipeline network, the Kisumu Oil Jetty on Lake Victoria and the Eldoret-Kampala pipeline corridor, which could eventually extend services to Kigali.
To support Rwanda’s imports, KPC has also extended the petroleum storage period for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) destined for Rwanda from 35 days to 90 days for an initial two-year period to reduce import costs.
Mwendwa further noted that Rwanda is also a shareholder in KPC following its participation in the company’s Initial Public Offering (IPO).
“As shareholders, you also stand to gain from the commercial returns. This is now your asset,” he said.
The agreements were developed by a Joint Technical Committee comprising officials from Kenya’s State Department for Petroleum, KPC, EPRA, Rwanda’s Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Rwanda National Energy Company.
RNEC has already been registered in Kenya and licensed by EPRA to import, export and wholesale petroleum products, completing the legal and commercial requirements needed for the new trade arrangement to begin.
Both governments expressed confidence that the framework would stimulate trade beyond Rwanda, with RNEC expected to expand petroleum distribution to neighbouring towns and other landlocked countries, increasing fuel volumes and strengthening regional economic integration.
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