Students Receive and Pay BRD Loans Free Using Airtel Money

More than 35,000 university students in Rwanda now have a simple and free way to access their BRD student loans. Their bank accounts are already connected to Airtel Money, allowing them to receive funds and pay back loans without visiting a bank branch.

This new improvement removes long queues, transport fees, withdrawal fees, and time wasted in bank lines. Students can now complete everything using their phones.

The announcement was made during the Minuza Festival at the University of Rwanda, Huye Campus, on 6 December 2025.

BRD Brings Services Closer to Students

The Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), which manages student loans and scholarships, says the goal is to make sure students access their funds without extra costs.
The move also supports the national effort to increase cashless payments, making daily services easier.

The festival included entertainment and awareness activities to help students understand how the new system works, and how it will help them in their academic journey.

Airtel Rwanda: “Students deserve easy and free services”

John Magara Gahakwa, Airtel Rwanda’s Head of Marketing, explained that the new service is designed to make student life easier.

He said:

“We want students to enjoy affordable services. When they link their bank accounts to Airtel Money, they receive their money immediately and the first three payment transactions are completely free.”

Gahakwa also encouraged students to continue using the Minuza platform, especially during loan repayment periods.

He added that Airtel brought special packages, including Ikokinge, which offers many minutes for a low cost.
For example:

• 100 Rwf gives 100 minutes

• 200 Rwf gives 350 minutes for two days

• Sunday offers 1,000 minutes, including 800 to Airtel and 200 to other networks

Students can dial *255# to activate these offers.

Key Services Available During the Festival

At the event, different national institutions worked together to offer essential services.
These included:

• NIDA – verifying national ID details

• HEC – checking student loan records

• NESA – confirming education information

This helped students access all required information without moving from office to office.

The same activities will continue across other University of Rwanda campuses.

BRD: “Our priority is the student”

Wilson Rurangwa, BRD’s Head of Education Department, said the improvements are already reducing long waiting periods.

“Before Minuza started, we could receive more than 300 students physically at BRD, and it took up to two months to process some requests. Today we receive only two or three because most services are online.”

He confirmed that over 35,000 students using BRD support can now receive and pay their loans through Airtel Money.

University of Rwanda Appreciates the Partnership

Ignatius R. Kabagambe, Director of Communication at the University of Rwanda, praised the initiative:

“This helps us a lot. Students often face issues with registration, names, or loan information. Airtel’s free service makes life easier for them.”

He added that the goal is to improve student welfare across all campuses.

The festival was also filled with performances by artists such as Ruti Joel, Ridernan, Kevin Kade, DJ Brianne, and the UR cultural troupe, giving students a day of learning and celebration.