Young Fijians are being urged to think outside the box in order to make Fiji a hub of innovation for the Pacific.

Industry and Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya says young people need to strive to become leaders in business, civil society and government landscapes.

Koya made the statement while opening the Smart-City challenge competition at the Holiday Inn in Suva.

He adds the survival of any country or its industries in the future is dependent on innovation and becoming smarter in the way things are carried out.

The Minister says a special Smart City Programme will ensure towns and cities adapt to global modern and better urban management practices and fresh foods markets will be restructured and redeveloped, where needed.

The Smart Challenge is where students engage in a collaborative manner to provide smart solutions using technology.

The winning groups will be given pre-approval certificates for the Young Entrepreneurship Scheme or YES.

In addition, members of the group will undergo series of training and mentoring with industry stalwarts before the funds are released.