The African Millionaire: Deogratias Ndayisenga Millionaire Entrepreneur Rwanda

WHEN HE WAS forced to drop out of school, Deogratias Ndayisenga thought he had reached the end of the road and felt like the world had come crushing down on him. But it was not long before he realised that all he needed was mindset change.

The Toyota Hilux car is one of Ndayisenga’s possessions. At 33 years of age, Ndayisenga, a married father of three has achieved what many have failed achieve in their entire lifetime. He is arguably a young tycoon.

Born in a humble family in the rural Kagano Sector in Nyamasheke District, Western Province, Ndayisenga dropped out of school after completing O’ level.

Ndayisenga stands in front one of one of his shops. “I was heartbroken because all my hopes were on education,” he recalls.

For years, Ndayisenga remained in his rural village with little hope for the future. Unwilling to relent, he unsuccessfully ventured into farming before abandoning it for trade in banana beer, locally known as Urwagwa. He soon realised that the business was fetching peanuts.

In early 2000, Ndayisenga turned his eyes on fruit farming and invested his efforts in growing pineapples, passion fruits and sugar canes. However, like fate would have it, he did not achieve much from these activities either.

In 2004, with the help of his elder brother who was by then a university student, Ndayisenga enrolled at a driving school in Rusizi District, and soon acquired a temporary driving license.

He migrated to Karongi the following year and continued with his studies. He consequently acquired a driving license, Category A, which only authorises one to ride motorcycles. After acquiring the license, Ndayisenga hit the street in search for jobs and was offered that of a commercial motorcycle.

“At the beginning, I worked for others but I did not like the experience. I had to devise means of getting my own motorcycle,” he says.

It was not long before Ndayisenga joined a cooperative that brought together commercial motorcycle riders in the area. In 2005, the cooperative offered its members a chance to acquire motorcycles on loan and Ndayisenga grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

“I acquired a motorcycle and serviced the loan within a year,” he says with a beaming smile.

In 2007, Ndayisenga married a primary school teacher and together they started a family.

“What we were both earning was very little but the following year, I approached a bank and acquired a loan of Rwf450,000 which I used to start a small retail shop,” he says.

His wife quit teaching and started working in the shop while Ndayisenga continued with his taxi-moto business.

The young couple later got multiple loans in order to expand their business and Ndayisenga says he won the bank’s trust because he serviced his loans on the agreed terms.

He says he later ventured into dealing in motorcycle spare parts because “the field remained extremely unexploited.”

“By the end of 2009, I had about five motorcycles on the streets of Karongi and my spare parts business was booming,” Ndayisenga says.

In 2010, Ndayisenga bought a Rwf17 million plot and built a commercial complex in the heart of Karongi town. He says the complex which was completed in one year cost about Rwf150 million.

Located in the heart of Karongi town, the two-storey building immediately opened its doors to businesses.

“I had to use all my savings and in addition secured a loan of Rwf80 million to build this complex,” Ndayisenga says.

Apart from the commercial structure, Ndayisenga owns three modern residential houses in Karongi town, a Toyota Hilux Pickup car that he rents and a saloon car for his own transport, among others.

“I have achieved everything through hard work, dedication and efficient customer care,” the young millionaire says.

Ndayisenga says he will continue investing in real estate because there are still untapped opportunities there.

“I have achieved a lot in just ten years but I won’t rest. I want to continue growing,” he says, adding that his investments have benefited the entire community.

Ndayisenga advises fellow youth to be committed and never to despise any job. He also advises them to be purpose-driven and consistent in order to be successful.

“You should always set targets and work towards achieving them,” Ndayisaba says, adding that youth should work with financial institutions and invest in income generating activities.

To fellow businesspeople, the young millionaire advises them to be innovative and always endeavour to improve on customer service.