Visions Africa Team

When Do You Really Need a Trading License in Rwanda? A Practical Guide for Startups & SMEs

For many entrepreneurs in Rwanda, navigating compliance requirements can feel overwhelming—especially in the early stages of building a business. One of the most common areas of confusion is the trading license tax. You may have heard the often-repeated phrase:    |“You only start paying the trading license after two years.” While that statement contains some […]

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⚠️ When “Free” Isn’t Free: The 0% Intercompany Loan Trap

We are seeing early- and even late-stage groups still booking interest-free related-party loans to “keep things simple.” 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞:(1) transfer pricing risk (not arm’s length) and (2) lost withholding tax where interest would otherwise be taxable. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰?• OECD guidance on financial transactions tightened expectations around pricing and substance.•

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Are You Leaving a Six-Figure Reimbursement on the Table?

Many Rwandan organizations pay their female staff the legally required 14 weeks of full salary for maternity leave. That’s excellent corporate citizenship! But here is the catch that’s draining your cash flow: The majority of that payment is reimbursable through the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), and many are failing to claim it. The Critical

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Visions Africa CEO Appointed to the Board of the European Business Chamber of Rwanda

We are proud to announce that Roger Brugger, CEO of Visions Africa, has been elected as a new member of the Board of the European Business Chamber of Rwanda (EBCR) during its Annual General Meeting. This appointment underscores our ongoing commitment to strengthening partnerships between European and Rwandan businesses, fostering collaboration, and supporting both investors

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💗Breast Cancer Awareness Workshop

At Visions Africa, we had the privilege of hosting a deeply impactful Breast Cancer Awareness Workshop facilitated by the incredible team from Breast Cancer Initiative East Africa (BCIEA). The session provided more than information, it offered a heartfelt reminder of the importance of early detection, open dialogue, and collective support in promoting health and healing.

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𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿?

In Rwanda, a 𝟱% 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝘅 is levied on goods imported for commercial use — paid upfront at customs on the CIF value. But here’s the catch: many companies never claim it back, even though they’re entitled to! We’ve seen this happen across industries — businesses unknowingly leaving significant amounts unclaimed. If you’re one of

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿? Read More »

𝐑𝐑𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐕𝐀𝐓

Over the past weeks we’ve seen a spike in RRA desk-audit queries on recent quarters. A few quick fixes can save you from painful assessments or blocked refunds: 📬 1) 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬.Make sure your electronic address (email) and phone on eTax are current. We often see that communication is sent to the person

𝐑𝐑𝐀 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐤 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐕𝐀𝐓 Read More »

Regulation No 89/2025

📢 New FX Compliance Rules in Rwanda: Key Points for Business Leaders Effective 30 May 2025, the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR) has enacted Regulation No. 89/2025, reinforcing long-standing restrictions on the use of foreign currency (FX) in local transactions.While Rwanda has always prohibited pricing or settling local obligations in FX, the amended regulation introduces

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INTERNS GRADUATION

INTERNS GRADUATION🎓 We celebrated the graduation of our incredible interns at Visions Africa, a talented group who brought energy, curiosity, and fresh ideas to our team throughout their training journey. This program was all about building real world skills and shaping the next generation of professionals and we’re proud to say, mission accomplished. Throughout their

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