Rwandan brewers are feeling the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic as sales continue to drop since the country went into lockdown in March.

"Given the significant uncertainties on the extent and duration of the disruption as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, the board is taking steps to protect our cash flow to preserve liquidity in the interest of our company, and as such proposed not to pay out any dividend on the 2019 result," it said in a statement.

A company statement says Bralirwa's plan for 2020 was to further top line, profit and margin growth in the context of continued outperformance of the Rwandan economy relative to the broader African region driven by new product introductions, cost management and further debt reduction.

During the lockdown, both Bralirwa and Skol breweries -- the two leading brewers -- suffered reduced sales, as all bars, shops and hotels were closed, as part of government efforts to control the coronavirus spread.

Many bars, hotels and depots have already incurred losses, after thousands of beer bottles from Skol and Bralirwa expired.