Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: File]
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is urging banks and other financial institutions to move beyond traditional collateral requirements when assessing finance applications from indigenous entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the 2026 Fiji Indigenous Business Council Symposium, Rabuka said access to finance remains one of the major structural barriers facing indigenous businesses.
He says lending assessments should also consider the viability of a business, its cash flow, market opportunities, management capability and potential for future growth.
Rabuka is calling for stronger relationships between financial institutions and indigenous businesses to improve access to suitable financing.
“I encourage banks and other financial institutions to work with you, the FIBC, to develop practical solutions for indigenous enterprises, including investment readiness, financial literacy, business mentoring and appropriate financing products. At the same time, indigenous businesses must meet the standards expected by commercial financiers.”
However, Rabuka stresses that greater access to finance must be matched by accountability and commercial discipline.
The Prime Minister says government funding alone will not create a strong indigenous business sector, and public assistance must be used to unlock private capital.
