After nearly six years in Rwanda’s construction industry, civil engineer Fiston Musoni has learned that technical ability alone is not enough to build a lasting enterprise. Discipline, creativity, teamwork and, above all, trust are what turn drawings into structures—and skills into a sustainable business.
At just 30, Musoni is the founder of MF Group Ltd, a growing engineering and construction firm delivering residential, commercial and mixed-use projects across Kigali. The company’s journey mirrors his own transition from a fresh graduate to an entrepreneur determined to shape Rwanda’s urban future.
Graduating in 2019, Musoni joined an established construction firm in 2020 while quietly registering his own company on the side. By day, he absorbed site experience; by night and weekends, he refined his designs, built relationships and tested the market.
“As I worked in employment, I also pushed my company forward, starting with design services,” he says. “Small projects helped me understand clients, manage costs and build confidence.”
Those early assignments became a practical classroom in professionalism—teaching him the value of accessibility, timely delivery and clear communication. Over time, they laid the foundation for MF Group Ltd’s expansion from design into full-service project delivery.
Musoni’s exposure to major developments in Kigali—including the Egyptian Embassy’s Defence Attaché Complex, the University of Rwanda headquarters and Kacyiru Mixed-Use Development—bridged the gap between academic theory and on-site reality.
“They showed me the difference between what we study and what actually happens on the ground,” he says. “That experience pushed me to pursue my own vision.”
Today, MF Group Ltd offers architectural and interior design, project management, quantity surveying, sustainable design, construction and renovation. The firm now integrates civil works, electrical and water installations, landscaping and security systems under one coordinated team.
Starting with just two people and limited capital, Musoni chose a strategy built on knowledge rather than money.
“Instead of thinking you need huge financing, combine expertise and sell professional value,” he explains. “Teamwork allows each specialist to deliver their best.”
Trust, he insists, is the real currency of the construction business.
“Keeping your promises and delivering exactly what was agreed is what builds reputation,” he says. “When clients refer you without advertising, that is trust speaking.”
Creativity and cost discipline are equally central. Musoni advocates value engineering—achieving architectural quality without unnecessary expense—and tailoring solutions to each client’s vision rather than imposing a fixed style.
“Two people can build the same house at different costs,” he notes. “It depends on how well expectations, design choices and quality are aligned.”
Among the firm’s upcoming projects is a proposed 13-tower Agaba Hotel in Kiyovu, featuring a suspended glass-bottom swimming pool—an architectural concept still rare in Rwanda.
Musoni also challenges the perception that foreign firms automatically deliver superior quality.
“Rwandan engineers are trained to international standards,” he says. “Local capacity should be trusted, with foreign expertise complementing it, especially for new technologies.”
Looking ahead, he hopes MF Group Ltd will play a visible role in shaping Kigali’s skyline and supporting Rwanda’s broader development ambitions.
“I want to bring globally recognised structures home,” he says. “To turn clients’ visions into reality, and to grow local engineering into globally competitive enterprises.”
From a young man who loved building long before he knew it was a profession, Musoni’s journey is now firmly set in concrete—proof that in Rwanda’s fast-changing cities, homegrown skill, when matched with integrity and vision, can indeed build the future.
Source: The New Times
