Rwanda Social Security Board has signed a set of strategic agreements to introduce two internationally recognised luxury hospitality brands, LUX and SALT, into Rwanda as part of a broader initiative to position the country within a premium regional tourism circuit stretching across some of East Africa’s most celebrated natural destinations.
The agreements, signed today at the Invest in Rwanda session of the Africa CEO Forum 2026 in Kigali, cover strategic partnership, investment and hospitality management arrangements related to Akagera Game Lodge and mark the entry of The Lux Collective into the Rwandan market for the first time.
The signing brought together Louise Kanyonga, Deputy CEO of RSSB; Eugene Nyagahene, Chief Executive Officer of Cleo Capital Group; and Arnaud Lagesse, Chairperson of The Lux Collective and Group Chief Executive Officer of IBL Group.
The transaction places RSSB at the centre of the initiative in its capacity as a long-term institutional investor; deploying what the parties described as catalytic capital to develop and de-risk a strategic asset, with the intention of creating a platform capable of drawing in additional private investment over time while generating sustainable commercial returns.
The tourism circuit the agreements are designed to anchor connects Akagera with the Virunga ecosystem and other key East African attractions; a regional proposition aimed at the high-end traveller who moves across borders in search of exceptional wildlife, landscape and hospitality experiences.
The introduction of LUX and SALT, brands with established reputations in luxury and lifestyle tourism respectively, is intended to give Rwanda the internationally recognised names needed to compete credibly for that market.
Kanyonga said the agreements reflect RSSB’s broader investment philosophy; that institutional capital, when deployed with purpose, can do more than generate returns for its members.
It can build the infrastructure and attract the partners that transform a country’s position in a competitive global market.
Rwanda has in recent years made significant strides in establishing itself as a premium tourism destination, driven by mountain gorilla conservation, high-end lodge development and a deliberate policy of low-volume, high-value tourism.
The Akagera agreements are designed to extend that positioning into the savannah wildlife experience; giving Rwanda a stronger offering across multiple ecosystems and a more compelling case to travellers who currently divide their East African itineraries between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
