Information and communication technology (ICT) has started contributing more to Rwanda’s economy than agriculture and mining exports combined.

This is according to Rwanda’s Ministry of Youth and ICT, which says that ICT contributed 2% to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) over the last two quarters of this year.

According to the World Bank, Rwanda's GDP was calculated at $7.452 billion in 2013.

The Ministry of Youth and ICT’s statement further reveals that in terms of foreign direct investments, Rwanda's ICT sector attracted 45% of total inflows: more than five sectors combined.

The five sectors mentioned include trade, financial sector, mining and manufacturing.

"Information and communication technology is a central engine to driving Rwanda’s transformation to a knowledge based economy, a fact Rwanda has acknowledged by allocating a budget to ICT - as a percentage of its GDP - that is at par with OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries," reads a statement from the ministry.  

"Rwanda continues to be one of the fastest growing African countries in ICT... from e-commerce and e-services, mobile technologies, applications development and automation to becoming a regional centre for the training of top quality ICT professionals and research," the statement notes.

According to research firm BuddeComm, the Rwandan telecom sector has shown particularly strong growth in recent years.

With a population of 11.78 million people, Rwanda’s mobile penetration currently sits at 65% with internet penetration currently at 22%.