A new report released in 2026 by the Association of Rwandan Journalists (ARJ) has revealed the difficult economic realities facing many journalists in Rwanda, highlighting low salaries, limited health insurance coverage, and inadequate pension protection across the media sector.
The report shows that only 30% of media organizations in Rwanda register their employees with the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), meaning only a small portion of journalists benefit from formal employment-related healthcare and social security benefits.
Instead, the majority of journalists rely on Mutuelle de Santé, Rwanda’s community-based health insurance scheme.
According to the findings, 57.4% of journalists are covered by Mutuelle, while only 30% benefit from RSSB/RAMA health insurance, which is typically reserved for workers employed under formal contracts.
Another 7.8% have private medical insurance, while 4.9% have no health insurance at all.
The findings reflect what ARJ describes as the fragile nature of employment within Rwanda’s media industry, where many journalists continue to work without stable contracts or employer-backed benefits.
“The fact that most journalists rely on community health insurance instead of employer-sponsored coverage reflects the precarious employment conditions in the media sector,” the report states.
The report further reveals that 75% of private media houses do not provide health insurance for their employees, citing figures from the Financial Sustainability Assessment (2023).
This lack of institutional support has left many journalists dependent on basic public healthcare coverage despite working in a profession considered vital to public accountability and democracy.
Retirement security is another growing concern highlighted in the report.
Only 55.5% of journalists contribute to pension schemes through RSSB, while 40.2% have no pension coverage whatsoever.
Another 4.3% are enrolled in private retirement schemes.
ARJ warns that the absence of pension protection could expose many journalists to severe financial hardship later in life, particularly after retirement.
The report also paints a broader picture of economic instability within the profession.
Many journalists reportedly earn salaries that are insufficient to sustain decent living standards, forcing some to search for additional sources of income outside journalism.
However, only 26.2% of journalists surveyed said they had managed to secure secondary jobs or side businesses to supplement their income.
The findings suggest that a large number of media professionals remain entirely dependent on poorly paid journalism work.
ARJ says the report raises urgent questions about labor conditions, financial sustainability, and employee welfare within Rwanda’s media sector.
The organization argues that improving journalists’ working conditions will be essential not only for their personal well-being, but also for the long-term strength and independence of the country’s media industry.
By Andrew shyaka
