Under Art. 210 of the Law Governing Information Communication and Technologies, all licensed electronic communications service providers in Rwanda are required to register the complete personal details of subscribers or SIM card holders using their networks or services. The Regulatory Authority oversees the registration process by issuing related regulations and ensuring compliance.
Moreover, according to Art. 4 of Regulation No. 18/R/SM-ICT/RURA/2024, all licensees operating in Rwanda must register all SIM card holders using their network services. As specified in Art. 7, for national citizens, the information required for the registry includes: full names, date of birth, identity card number, a clear scanned copy of the passport or national identity card, nationality, registered telephone number, sex, and biometric data.
In addition, as established in Art. 8, the registration process for foreigners without a resident permit (or visitors) must include the following: the travel document used for entry into the country, fingerprint verification, and biometric data, which must match the travel document information. This process must be conducted manually and in the physical presence of the applicant.

Rwanda has not appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

It is reported that the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA), the executive authority for the supervision and administration of services in the telecommunications sector, is independent from the government in the decision-making process.

Art. 16 of the "Regulations No. 001/R/TD-ICS/RURA/016 of 06/05/2016 Governing Telecom Network Security in Rwanda" mandates that subscriber information held by a telecommunication service provider or internet service provider—including voice, SMS, and call data records—must be processed, stored, and transmitted securely within the territory of Rwanda. The provision explicitly prohibits the transfer, storage, or processing of such subscriber information outside national borders.

Art. 15 of "Regulation No. 010/R/CR-CSI/RURA/020 of 29 May 2020 Governing Cybersecurity" stipulates that the networks, systems, and applications of licensed ICT companies must not be managed, hosted, accessed remotely, or located outside the territory of Rwanda, unless explicit authorisation is granted by the Regulatory Authority.

Art. 50 of Law No. 058/2021 stipulates that all personal data must be stored within the territory of Rwanda, unless prior authorisation for its transfer and storage has been granted by the National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA). In addition, Art. 48 provides that a data controller or data processor may disclose or transfer personal data to a third party located outside Rwanda only under the following conditions:
- authorisation has been obtained from the NCSA upon submission of evidence demonstrating the implementation of appropriate safeguards for the protection of personal data;
- the data subject has provided informed consent;
- the transfer is necessary for specific purposes as outlined in the Law.

Art. 111 of "Law No. 007/2021 of 05/02/2021 Governing Companies" mandates that companies maintain specific records at their registered office or at any other location within Rwanda, for a minimum period of ten years from the end of the financial year to which the records pertain. The company is required to retain the following documents: its incorporation instruments; the register of shares and debentures; the index of shareholders; accounting records along with supporting documentation; a register of directors' interests; minutes of all general meetings and shareholders’ resolutions; minutes of all meetings and resolutions of directors and board committees; certificates issued by directors in accordance with this Law; copies of all annual financial statements, auditors’ reports, and directors’ reports; the internal register of beneficial owners; and copies of all written communications distributed to shareholders or to all holders of a particular class of shares, including annual reports.
Law No. 007/2021 repealed the law of the same title enacted in 2018, which contained a comparable provision to the one referenced above, albeit under Art. 114.

Art. 17 of the "Ministerial Instructions No. 001/MINICT/2012 of 12/03/2012 Related to the Procurement of Information and Communications Technology Goods and Services by Rwanda Public Institutions" stipulates that all government information technology systems and applications which process, store, or provide access to critical government data and information must be hosted within the National Data Centre (NDC). In addition, Art. 18 provides that, in instances where government institutions host applications in their own data centres or server rooms, they are required to obtain disaster recovery (backup) services from the NDC.

Rwanda is a party to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

Law No. 055/2024 on the Protection of Intellectual Property establishes a clear framework for copyright exceptions, following the fair use model. This allows the lawful use of copyrighted works by others without the need for permission. Arts. 291–304 of the law detail these exceptions, which include, among others, private reproduction, temporary reproduction, quotation, reproduction by libraries, use for judicial purposes, importation for personal use, and reproduction for individuals with visual or other disabilities. Additionally, Section 4.7 of the Guidelines for Intellectual Property Registration underscores that the fair use doctrine permits the use of limited portions of a work—such as quotes—for purposes like commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly research. This provision enables the use of protected works for educational, critical, and journalistic purposes without requiring consent from the rights holder. Prior to the enactment of Law No. 055/2024, the Guidelines for Intellectual Property Registration complemented Law No. 31/2009 on the Protection of Intellectual Property, particularly Arts. 203–215, which outlined limitations on economic rights, including a comprehensive list of copyright limitations and exceptions.

Rwanda has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

Rwanda has not signed the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Law No. 055/2024 on the Protection of Intellectual Property provides a framework for the effective protection of trade secrets. According to Art. 276, any act or practice, in the course of industrial or commercial activities, that results in the disclosure, acquisition, or use by others of secret information without the consent of the rightful holder and in a manner contrary to honest commercial practices constitutes an act of unfair competition. Under Art. 277 of the Law, an intellectual property owner harmed, or likely to be harmed, by an act of unfair competition has the right to initiate civil proceedings before the competent court or to request the cessation of such an act where, through an act contrary to honest industrial and commercial use, a manufacturer, trader, producer, or craftsman damages his or her credibility, takes away his or her customers, or harms his or her capacity for competition. Furthermore, as specified in Art. 380, any person who performs an act of unfair competition with respect to intellectual property commits an offence. Upon conviction, he or she is liable to a fine of not less than FRW 7,000,000 (approx. USD 5,300) but not more than FRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600).

Under the Guidelines for Siting and Sharing of Telecommunication Base Station Infrastructure (2011) and Law No. 24/2016 of 18/06/2016 Governing Information and Communication Technologies, Rwanda has established a regulatory obligation for passive infrastructure sharing to support the delivery of telecommunications services to end users.
According to Section 4.2.4, when requested by another licensee, each operator or service provider must disclose complete information on the location and technical specifications of their towers within a maximum of 10 working days. Furthermore, within an additional 10 working days, the operator must grant escorted access to the site upon request by another licensee seeking to assess the feasibility of infrastructure sharing.
Furthermore, pursuant to Art. 71 of Law No. 24/2016 licensed network operators must share the use of their electronic communications infrastructures on agreed upon terms and conditions.

In 2013, the Rwandan government and Korean Telecom (KT) entered into a 25-year agreement to establish a 4G wholesale network in the country. As part of the partnership, the Rwandan government acquired a 49% stake in KT Rwanda networks Ltd (KTRN), with the remaining 51% owned by Korean Telecom.