Tajyire Training Center opens in Kigali to formalize electronics trade and boost youth employment

By Elias HAKIZIMANA.

KIGALI — A new training center launched by Tajyire Group Holdings Ltd is set to transform Rwanda’s informal electronics trade into a more formal, skilled, and trusted profession, providing young people with the technical and entrepreneurial skills they need to thrive.

Officially inaugurated on October 21, 2025, at Matheus House in Kigali, the Tajyire Training Center was opened by Simon Danczuk, a former British Member of Parliament, in partnership with Lambert Gahungu, Founder and CEO of Tajyire Group.

The center will train more than 1,000 young people every year in mobile phone and electronics repair, sales, diagnostics, and small business management. Over the next five years, it aims to equip at least 10,000 trainees with formal skills to meet the growing demand for qualified technicians in Rwanda’s expanding urban economy.

“I thought of helping other people do business from my own experience,” said Lambert Gahungu, explaining the motivation behind the center.

“When I started Tajyire Electronics, my dream was to help others grow. This training center will put over 1,000 people into the market in its first year through six cohorts of 160 to 200 trainees each. In five years, we’ll have more than 10,000 youth entering the labor market as entrepreneurs; and as we expand, that number could grow fivefold.”

Tajyire Group, which recently secured a five-year lease for the entire Matheus House complex, plans to turn it into a modern electronics and skills hub. The initiative complements Rwanda’s national vision of formalizing informal trade and creating decent jobs for youth through practical skills development.

According to Gahungu, the center also seeks to change the negative stereotypes long associated with informal electronics markets, especially the popular perception that the downtown area near the former Post Office, known locally as Ku Iposita, is a place for selling stolen phones and accessories.

“This training center is our answer to that challenge,” he said. “It’s open to everyone regardless of educational background. We are building an ecosystem that integrates selling, repairing, and learning where young people can grow in a professional environment.”

The Tajyire Training Center is expected to begin classes on November 1, 2025. Trainees will contribute modest fees to sustain the center’s operations, expand capacity, and allow more young people to access future training opportunities.

“We also plan to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to provide recognized certificates,” Gahungu revealed. “We want our trainees to have not only skills but credentials that open doors to employment and business opportunities.”

Alexis Sibomana, Director of the Tajyire Training Center, emphasized that the facility will provide a blend of technical and entrepreneurial training tailored to local market needs.

“We’ll teach people how to work professionally, gain discipline, and build public trust in their services,” he said. “Our trainers come from countries such as China, Korea, and Dubai, bringing global expertise to help young Rwandans acquire modern repair and business skills.”

The center’s practical focus is already attracting enthusiasm from those in the electronics trade.

Akbar Sibomana, a smartphone vendor, said professional training would help rebuild confidence in the sector.

“Having skills is vital,” he said. “People often associate Ku Iposita with stolen electronics, which is shameful. This training center will change that image by producing qualified, trustworthy technicians.”

For Innocent Uwimana, an electronics technician with eight years of experience, the center offers a much-needed space for young people to learn, innovate, and grow.

“Before, repairing electronics was difficult because there was little development or support,” he said. “Now, with better tools and structured training, young people will have a real place to learn and build careers.”

Speaking after the launch, Simon Danczuk, who officiated the opening ceremony, praised Tajyire’s leadership and vision for youth empowerment.

“I’m very impressed with this initiative,” Danczuk said. “I first met Lambert at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2022, and to see how far he has come, from running a small business to developing an entire electronics mall with a training facility is remarkable.”

Danczuk highlighted the center’s potential to contribute to Rwanda’s economic growth by equipping youth with the right skills to participate in a fast-growing economy.

“Like many countries, Rwanda faces challenges around youth employment,” he noted. “But this country has a strong and rapidly growing economy. What’s needed now is the right skills and this training center will help fill that gap. It will prepare young entrepreneurs to generate income, create jobs, and support national development.”

He also urged investors to draw lessons from Lambert Gahungu’s collaborative approach.

“Lambert has shown the importance of partnership and networking,” Danczuk said. “By working closely with Charles, the owner of this historic building, he made this project possible. Other investors should support young entrepreneurs like him, they represent the future of Rwanda’s economy.”

With its focus on skills, professionalism, and youth entrepreneurship, the Tajyire Training Center stands as a model for inclusive economic transformation, turning Kigali’s bustling electronics trade into a hub of innovation, trust, and opportunity.

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