Riya Mala 
The Governor of the Reserve Bank is pushing for early investment in housing; however, Housing Minister Maciu Nalumisa says affordability remains a key issue.
Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor Ariff Ali says the government and relevant authorities must strengthen advocacy for early housing investment.
Speaking at the Housing Sector Forum, Ali emphasized that educating prospective homeowners, particularly first-time buyers on the benefits of early homeownership can help create a fairer and stronger housing market.
He adds that this approach also improves access to affordable housing.
The Governor explains why it is important to make housing investments at an early age.
“If people buy their house at around 40 or 45 years, then there’s a challenge. When I bought my house at 27 years old, I had 25 years to pay. You know, the repayments are much, much smaller. If you delay it, then your repayment bill is larger.”
However, Housing Minister Maciu Nalumisa says housing is currently not affordable, and this issue needs to be addressed.
He stresses the need for a holistic view, not just a focus on informal housing.
According to Nalumisa, the Housing Forum is timely, as the government works to provide more affordable housing.
“I would like to urge you to work with us in government to identify practical, scalable, and inclusive strategies whether through policy reforms, innovative financing models, public-private partnerships, or community-driven solutions.”
The theme for the summit is “Transforming Housing for All: Collaborative, Innovative, and Sustainable Solutions for Accessibility, Affordability, and Addressing Informal Settlement Challenges.”
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