Soap imports in Rwanda: data, top suppliers and prices
Rwanda imported $7.3 million of soap in 2024 (7.7 thousand tonnes). Value rose 25% on 2023. Over 2017-2024 the trade grew strongly, by about 33% a year on average. The peak in this period was 2018, at $21.1 million.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Imports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $7.3M | 7.7K t |
| 2023 | $5.8M | 5.4K t |
| 2022 | $6.8M | 6.2K t |
| 2021 | $14.4M | 18.5K t |
| 2020 | $18.5M | 32.1K t |
| 2019 | $16.8M | 30.1K t |
| 2018 | $21.1M | 30.6K t |
| 2017 | $986K | 578 t |
Where Rwanda imports soap from
Kenya alone supplied 83% of it. Among the main suppliers, Kenya grew fastest (+67% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | $6.0M | 83% |
| Egypt | $318K | 4.4% |
| Turkey | $274K | 3.8% |
| Uganda | $186K | 2.6% |
| Tanzania | $167K | 2.3% |
| Cote d'Ivoire | $83K | 1.1% |
| Belgium | $69K | 1% |
| South Africa | $44K | 0.6% |
| Netherlands | $31K | 0.4% |
| Germany | $19K | 0.3% |
Product types under HS 3401
| 3401.19 | Industrial bar soap | 71% |
| 3401.11 | Toilet bar soap | 24% |
| 3401.30 | Liquid skin wash | 2.8% |
| 3401.20 | Liquid and cream soap | 2.1% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 3401.
Average import price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.95 per kg, 59% below the world average of $2.31, which often means bulk or lower-grade product.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Who is behind these numbers in Rwanda?
The shipment records behind Rwanda soap imports (HS 3401): companies, dates, quantities and declared values.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Direct customs feed: shipment-level records from the official customs source.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 3401: Soap; organic surface-active preparations used as soap, skin washing, in bars, cakes, moulded pieces, shapes, liquid or cream, containing soap or not; for retail, paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent.
Common questions
What is the value of soap imported by Rwanda?
Rwanda imported soap worth $7.3 million in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 7.7 thousand tonnes. That ranks it 146th of 225 countries worldwide, with 0% of world imports. The value was up 25% on 2023.
Which countries supply soap to Rwanda?
Kenya was the largest supplier with 83% of the value ($6.0 million), followed by Egypt (4%) and Turkey (4%). The top three together account for 91%, out of 19 supplier countries in total. Uganda grew fastest among the top ten, up 78% on the year.
What is the average import price of soap per kg?
The average declared import value was about $0.95 per kg in 2024, 59% below the world average of $2.31 per kg. Declared value divided by weight mixes every grade, so read it as a benchmark rather than a quote.
How have imports of soap to Rwanda changed since 2017?
Imports went from $986 thousand in 2017 to $7.3 million in 2024, an increase of 638%. The peak was 2018 at $21.1 million. Over 8 years the average was $11.5 million a year.
What is the HS code for soap?
The HS code for soap is heading 3401. In Rwanda the largest six-digit codes were 3401.19 (71% of the value) and 3401.11 (24%).
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
The totals here are public statistics; the company-level detail sits in EximDataX, which has a direct customs feed for Rwanda. Tell us your product to see it live.
Same product, other countries
Soap product types in Rwanda
See what your buyers are buying.Then decide.
Everything we show you comes from official customs filings — records, not claims. 30 minutes. Your shipment. Your HS code. Real platform. If you don’t see something new about your market by the end of the call, we walk away. No follow-ups.