GITEGA, April 22nd (ABP) – Wilson Niyonzima, 37 years old, owner of a plastic shoe manufacturing industry, aims to have at least one billion BIF by 2026, in order to be among the top taxpayers of the OBR (Burundian Revenue Office).
That ambition was revealed during an interview given to ABP on Monday, April 21, 2025, at his polymer and rubber shoe factory, located about 2 km from Gitega urban center (central Burundi). “There is no doubt that my dreams will come true,” he testified, stating that he is driven by determination and the necessary know-how to achieve it.
To make his project profitable, Niyonzima stated that he paid for training in industrial shoe manufacturing in India, Pakistan, and China. Currently, his company has about 20 employees. He plans to reach a total of around sixty employees next year and acquire state-of-the-art production equipment, which is already on order, he added.
Speaking about his motivation for entrepreneurship, Niyonzima noted that he wanted to provide underprivileged youth with affordable shoes, explaining that as a child, he went to school barefoot, a situation that made him feel inferior among his fellow students. He also added that he was motivated by the desire to create a job for himself and also provide employment for his children. Furthermore, Niyonzima stated that he wanted to align with the national vision.
He encouraged Burundian youth to showcase their dynamism by breaking away from the dependency on public sector employment. He called for a shift in mindset to put their intellectual abilities to work for themselves and their nation. Niyonzima also urged young people to “cut short laziness and instead value their strength to carve out a place in the sun.”
Regarding the challenges he faces, he mentioned mainly the scarcity of foreign currency for importing raw materials.
As for future prospects, he mentioned his plan to build a plastic waste recycling plant with the aim of protecting the environment.