Older adults, rural residents and people from poorer households are the most likely to consume alcohol in Rwanda, according to the latest Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS), which also shows drinking remains far more common among men than women.
The 2025 RDHS, together with previous national surveys, suggests that while alcohol consumption has increased over the past decade, some of the riskiest drinking behaviours are becoming less common.
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The findings also highlight differences in alcohol use by age, sex, place of residence, education and household wealth.
Men drink more than women
The latest survey found that men are significantly more likely to consume alcohol than women and are also more likely to drink frequently.
The findings are consistent with the 2022 Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) survey on non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors, which also found that men were more likely than women to consume alcohol and engage in heavy drinking.
Alcohol use rises with age
Across both the RDHS and the RBC survey, alcohol consumption increased steadily with age.
Young people aged 15-19 were the least likely to drink, while consumption was highest among adults in their 30s and 40s. The RBC survey similarly found that older adults were more likely to drink regularly, with daily alcohol consumption highest among people aged 60-69.
Rural residents drink more
The RDHS found alcohol consumption to be slightly more common in rural areas than in urban centres.
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Rural men were also more likely to drink every day or almost every day than their urban counterparts.
However, urban drinkers tended to consume larger quantities when they drank, suggesting that while drinking is more widespread in rural communities, binge drinking may be more common in towns and cities.
Regional differences
The survey found notable differences across provinces. Northern Province recorded the highest prevalence of alcohol consumption among both men and women, while Kigali recorded the lowest overall prevalence.
The Eastern Province, however, stood out for heavier drinking, recording the highest proportion of men who drank every day or almost every day and those who typically consumed six or more drinks on a drinking day.
Earlier findings from the 2022 RBC survey also highlighted regional differences, identifying Western Province as having the highest prevalence of heavy drinking.
Poverty and education influence drinking
Alcohol consumption was consistently higher among people with lower levels of education and those from poorer households.
The survey found that people with no formal education and those in the poorest households were more likely to consume alcohol than those with higher education levels or greater household wealth.
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The findings point to socioeconomic inequalities that continue to shape alcohol consumption patterns.
Unrecorded alcohol remains a concern
While most drinkers reported consuming relatively small amounts on a typical drinking day, unrecorded alcohol remains widespread.
The 2022 RBC survey found that most current drinkers had consumed unrecorded alcohol, mainly home-brewed beverages, highlighting an ongoing public health concern because such products are often unregulated and may pose additional health risks.
Alcohol consumption has increased
Long-term data indicate that alcohol consumption has risen steadily over the past decade.
The RBC survey found a higher proportion of adults consuming alcohol in 2022 than in 2012, while World Bank data also show recorded per-capita alcohol consumption increased between 2017 and 2020.
A separate 2023 survey by the Rwanda Non-Communicable Disease Alliance likewise found that a substantial share of adults had consumed alcohol during the previous year and in the month preceding the survey.
Harmful drinking shows signs of decline
Despite the rise in overall alcohol consumption, recent surveys suggest some harmful drinking behaviours are becoming less common.
The RBC survey found heavy episodic drinking has declined over the past decade.
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The Rwanda Non-Communicable Disease Alliance also found that fewer adults reported consuming six or more drinks on a single occasion, while most respondents said they were aware of the health risks associated with alcohol. More than half also said higher alcohol prices would encourage them to reduce consumption.
Link to violence
The RDHS also highlights the wider social consequences of alcohol abuse.
Women whose partners frequently became intoxicated were far more likely to experience physical, sexual or emotional violence than those whose partners did not drink.
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The survey further shows that intimate partner violence against women has continued to rise over the past decade, underscoring the close link between harmful alcohol use and family wellbeing.
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Numbers: Alcohol consumption in Rwanda
50.2% of men aged 15-49 consumed alcohol in the month before the 2025 RDHS survey.
18% of women aged 15-49 reported drinking during the same period.
64.8% of men aged 40-44 recorded the highest alcohol consumption among male age groups.
26.1% of women in Northern Province consumed alcohol--the highest provincial rate.
59.4% of men in Northern Province reported drinking, the highest in the country.
59.3% of men in the poorest households consumed alcohol, compared with 41.7% in the wealthiest households.
62.5% of men with no formal education reported drinking--the highest across education levels.
78% of current drinkers in the 2022 RBC survey consumed unrecorded alcohol, mainly home-brewed beverages.
48.1% of adults consumed alcohol in 2022, up from 41.2% in 2012.
15.2% of adults engaged in heavy episodic drinking in 2022, down from 23.5% in 2013.
93% of women whose partners often got drunk reported experiencing physical, sexual or emotional violence.
