On June 22, 2025, the Rwandan government essentially banned the sale and importation of all second-hand clothing and footwear from Europe, in a dramatic move in its "Made in Rwanda" industrialisation policy. President Paul Kagame framed the ban in terms of national dignity and economic sovereignty, saying Rwanda wanted to break its addiction to foreign cast-offs and become self-sufficient through local textile production.
/*Economic Strategy: From Cast-Offs to Factory Floors*/
President Paul Kagame has stated that the ban follows years of steep tariffs—12 times on apparel and 10 times on footwear imposed since 2016—to protect local industry. With second‑hand imports now illegal, Kigali aims to spur investment in local manufacturers and create value‑added jobs. Textile firms have so far risen from fewer than 10 in 2015 to some 70, with thousands hired.
/*Western pressure and AGOA Fallout*/
Rwanda's move was immediately condemned by the West. In 2018, the Trump administration suspended Rwanda's benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a flagship U.S. trade pact, in retaliation for the nation's second‑hand ban, though Kigali has pledged not to reverse. Kagame has called the response "blunt Western pressure" that tested East African unity.
/*Impact on Farmers, Traders and Consumers*/
While industrial dividends are anticipated, ordinary Rwandans report they are hurting. In rural Rwanda, kids' t‑shirts that previously went for RWF 500–1,000 now go for RWF 10,000 locally made—a shift that hit poor families hard. Merchants in Kigali markets report sales have dropped off, prompting some to import Chinese-made garments as an alternative.
/*Regional Trend and African Continental Free Trade Alignment*/
Rwanda's prohibition is consistent with broader East African Community plans to stifle second‑hand imports and with the African Continental Free Trade Area's (AfCFTA) 2023 protocol banning intra‑Africa second‑hand trade under industrialisation imperatives. Neighbouring Kenya and Uganda retreated in 2017–18 under threat of AGOA withdrawal; however, Rwanda is the sole serious adherent still.
/*What does the Future Hold for Rwanda's Textile Revolution?*/
Rwanda is doubling down: duty exemptions on garment machinery and raw materials, tax incentives under its 2021 Investment Law, and encouragement of cooperative purchasing via Apparel Manufacturing Group (AMG) are ramping up production. However, local garments are still 2–3× more expensive, and quality issues persist. The government has recognized the transition will not be immediate, calling for patience as capacity and affordability close the gap.