17 July 2025 – The Pacific E-commerce Initiative welcomes the launch of the Fiji Innovation Hub, the first of its kind in Fiji, designed to support entrepreneurs to build inclusive, locally driven financial solutions.
According to the Pacific Regional E-commerce Strategy and Roadmap, fintech present a great potential to deliver digital payment solutions efficiently, from payment gateways and merchant aggregators for consumers, to electronic wallets and electronic remittance systems for consumers. It is an opportunity to provide the unbanked with the electronic currency needed to engage in online purchases.
During the launch, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Mr Ariff Ali, highlighted, “The Reserve Bank has put its hand up to lead this effort recognising the transformative potential of innovation and technology in unlocking economic opportunities. We are committed to laying the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive innovation ecosystem. Innovation encourages new ways of doing business, increases efficiency and productivity, improves service-delivery, and helps build resilience. This is central to our vision in being a progressive, resilient central bank, trusted by our people.”
The Innovation Hub is a multi-year programme that will begin delivering key services in its first year, including an accelerator programme and a national hackathon, to support startups and early-stage founders in addressing financial inclusion challenges in Fiji. As part of its scale up activities, the Hub is establishing a physical space for businesses to meet, following the 12-month pilot. By 2030, the Innovation Hub aims to broaden its focus beyond fintech, adding new innovation verticals and positioning itself as a regional centre.
In her address, the EU Ambassador to the Pacific, Her Excellency Ms Barbara Plinkert stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the world how important digital connectivity is for our economies and lives. For this reason, she continued, “The European Union is proud to support Fiji’s Innovation Hub through our Pacific Digital Economy Programme, which promotes inclusive digital economies and empowers policymakers, women, and micro small and medium enterprises.”
The Fiji Innovation Hub is funded by the Pacific Digital Economy Programme (PDEP). PDEP is a joint initiative of United Nations Capital Development Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, and United Nations Trade and Development, and is financially supported by the European Union and the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It is also sponsored by Fiji’s Ministry of Commerce and Business Development, HFC Bank, Fiji Airways and Mastercard. Creative HQ based out of Wellington, New Zealand, is its implementing partner providing technical assistance.
