Transport: Tap&Go cardholders urged to register cards in their own names

Tap&Go cardholders in Kigali are being urged to register their cards in their own names by December 2026, as AC Mobility warns that unregistered cards will face restrictions on certain services.

The registration exercise, running from October to December, is taking place at Nyabugogo, Downtown, Kimironko, Kabuga and Nyanza bus parks. Brand Ambassadors and Service Operations officers are assisting passengers with registration and explaining its implications.

Registration links each card to a verified owner, which can help customers access services such as card replacement when a card is lost. Passengers can register using their existing Tap&Go card and national identity card; purchasing a new card is not required.

Sabrine Ikuzwe, a Tap&Go Brand Ambassador involved in the exercise, said registration was important for protecting customers’ balances and accessing support when cards are lost.

“Registering your Tap&Go card is an important step in protecting your money and making sure you can get the right support if you lose your card. We encourage every customer to take the time to register their card in their own name,” she said.

Philipe Kwibuka, Service Operations Manager at AC Mobility, said the system used to capture and securely store customer information had been updated to support the registration exercise.

He warned that cardholders who do not register would lose access to certain services, including card swaps and transaction history. He added that unregistered cards would eventually cease to function.

The restrictions could affect passengers who rely on their cards to review previous transactions or transfer their remaining balances when replacing lost cards. 

Cardholders who have not completed registration can visit the teams stationed at the five bus parks before the campaign ends in December 2026.

Tap&Go was introduced in Rwanda in 2015 to digitise public transport payments, initially allowing passengers in Kigali to pay bus fares using smart cards instead of cash. The system has since expanded to support ticketing beyond the capital.

According to AC Mobility, the platform has served more than 28 million passenger journeys and issued more than three million Tap&Go cards.