Kigali, July 24, 2026 – On 24 July 2026, the Director General of the Rwanda Basic Education Board (REB), Dr Nelson Mbarushimana, officially opened the 2nd Pan-African Informatics Olympiad (PAIO 2026) at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC), reaffirming Rwanda's commitment to advancing STEM education and nurturing young innovators who will shape Africa's digital future.

The opening ceremony brought together team leaders, members of the PAIO International Scientific Committee, government officials, development partners, educators, and invited guests. The Olympiad has attracted participants from Rwanda, Botswana, Lesotho, Uganda, Tanzania, Algeria, Mali, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya, while Nigeria, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Morocco, and Libya are participating online. Guest countries from outside Africa, including Hungary, Saudi Arabia, and Turkmenistan, are also taking part in the competition.

Addressing the gathering, the Director General emphasized that the Pan-African Informatics Olympiad is far more than a programming competition.

"The Olympiad is more than a programming competition; it is a platform for nurturing innovation, resilience, critical thinking, collaboration, and excellence among Africa's brightest students. We encourage participants to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators who will help shape Africa's technological future," he said.

The Director General noted that PAIO 2026 marks a significant milestone as the first in-person edition of the Olympiad after Rwanda successfully hosted the inaugural competition virtually in 2025. He also highlighted Rwanda's proven track record in organizing continental academic competitions, recalling the country's successful hosting of the Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad in 2023 and its selection to host the competition again in 2027.

“This is the first in-person PAIO, after Rwanda organized a fully online in 2025. This is drawing on the good experience from 2023, where Rwanda successfully hosted the biggest ever Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad. Rwanda has won the bid to host the Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad in 2027.”

He noted that strengthening STEM education and computational thinking remains central to Rwanda's vision of preparing learners for emerging opportunities in the digital economy and the era of artificial intelligence. He added that education continues to be a strategic investment for national transformation and sustainable development, supported through strong collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.

The Director General further highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in developing Africa's future technology leaders, encouraging participants to embrace collaboration, exchange knowledge across borders, and build lasting networks that contribute to a more innovative and connected continent.

He also underscored the importance of cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange in building a stronger, more innovative, and interconnected Africa. He commended the Rwanda Olympiad Foundation and the African Olympiad Academy for establishing a continental platform that promotes excellence in informatics and acknowledged the contributions of coaches, teachers, parents, volunteers, and organizers in preparing students for the competition.

A total of 54 students are competing in Kigali, while 60 students are participating online, representing their respective countries after excelling through rigorous national selection processes. The competition also features a hackathon, providing participants with an opportunity to demonstrate not only their technical expertise but also their creativity and teamwork in solving real-world challenges.

The Director General congratulated all contestants for earning the opportunity to represent their countries and encouraged them to compete with integrity, determination, respect, and a spirit of continuous learning. He also acknowledged the dedication of coaches, teachers, parents, volunteers, and organizers whose support has enabled the students to reach the continental stage.

He expressed appreciation to the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Jane Street, Hudson River Trading, Global Talent Fund, the African Olympiad Academy, the Rwanda Olympiad Foundation, and other partners for their continued support in making the Olympiad possible.

The Director General reaffirmed Rwanda's commitment to expanding access to quality STEM education, identifying exceptional talent, and creating opportunities for young Africans to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world. He expressed confidence that the Pan-African Informatics Olympiad will continue to grow as Africa's leading informatics competition and an internationally recognized platform for developing the continent's next generation of technology leaders.

The 2nd Pan-African Informatics Olympiad will feature programming contests, collaborative hackathons, and knowledge-sharing activities designed to strengthen computational thinking, innovation, and regional cooperation among Africa's brightest young minds.

Each participating country is represented by up to six contestants, with equal numbers of boys and girls, reflecting the Olympiad's commitment to promoting gender equality and inclusive participation in STEM across Africa.

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