The Pacific’s digital transformation is entering a more demanding phase. After years of investment in telecommunications and connectivity, the challenge is increasingly to build the trusted digital systems that turn infrastructure into reliable public services. NiuPay is taking its experience with proven digital systems across the Pacific into Fiji, building on its work with Papua New Guinea’s Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority (ICSA), the country’s first digital land-title system and a border-processing system deployed during the Pacific Games. These operational deployments form the foundation for the company’s expanding regional work.

The Papua New Guinea-founded company established a presence in Suva this year, appointing Seta Daulako as Fiji country manager and hiring its first Fiji-based engineer in September. The appointment also marks the company’s first Autonomous AI Systems Engineer, extending its technical capabilities beyond its home market.

NiuPay plans to invest several million Fiji dollars in the country over five years as it expands operations in Suva and Nadi. It expects to grow its Fiji team to between eight and twelve staff over the next 12 months. Chief Operating Officer Trevor Manokore said the company was committing the money upfront to demonstrate its long-term commitment to the market and to supporting customers locally. For a regional technology firm, the investment signals an intention to build capacity in Fiji rather than serve the market remotely from Port Moresby.

These commitments extend beyond a conventional sales operation towards building local engineering capability. Strategic investment from Kina Bank and NiuPay’s status as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Select Tier Services Partner provide further support for its growth. The Fiji operation builds on the company’s existing work in the Pacific and provides a base for extending its digital systems and technical expertise to other markets in the region. Governments across the Pacific face similar pressures to turn connectivity into secure, practical digital services, although each market retains its own laws, institutions and needs.

Proven systems provide foundation for expansion

Connectivity remains essential, but submarine cables and telecommunications networks do not, by themselves, deliver better public services. Governments also need secure applications, interoperable systems, digital identity infrastructure and the technical expertise to manage these platforms over time.

Fiji offers a useful example of the demands facing governments. The country is connected to international telecommunications networks through seven submarine cables and has set a target of bringing most government services online by 2030 under its National Digital Strategy. Plans for national digital identity infrastructure and a new cybersecurity strategy add to the demands on public institutions as more services move online.

The policy question is how to translate those ambitions into systems that are operational, secure and responsive to local needs. That requires more than procuring technology. It also means developing the people, governance arrangements and institutional capabilities needed to maintain systems, manage data and oversee external technology providers.

Designing technology for Pacific conditions

Part of the challenge is a problem the region has faced for decades: technology designed for other markets is often introduced into the Pacific with little adaptation. Systems built for large economies may assume reliable high-speed internet everywhere, widespread card payments, formal street addresses, complete central records and a deep pool of local specialists to maintain them.

When those assumptions fail, the costs emerge later. Agencies may pay licence and support fees in foreign currency, wait for help desks in distant time zones and run manual workarounds alongside systems that do not reflect how services are actually used. Customary land ownership, cash-based household economies, multiple languages and populations spread across remote islands are not exceptions in the Pacific; they are part of the operating environment. Donor-funded projects can compound the problem when systems are delivered to meet a project timeline and lose support after funding ends.

Regional providers argue that they are better placed to bridge this gap. Manokore describes NiuPay’s approach this way: “It’s not a piece of software we built somewhere trying to sell it.” Although NiuPay has teams in Australia and India, Manokore said the company does not build its solutions for the Australian, New Zealand or Asian markets. Instead, it designs its work around how Pacific customers operate, pointing to similarities among Fiji, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.

NiuPay’s existing deployments demonstrate how that approach has been applied in practice. Fiji has its own laws, institutions and public expectations, and a provider moving between Pacific markets must design for the new setting rather than simply repeat what worked elsewhere. Building on an established technical track record does not remove the need for local adaptation; it gives the company experience to draw on as it develops systems for different jurisdictions.

From digital land titles to AI-powered immigration

NiuPay’s regional expansion builds on three established deployments. In Papua New Guinea, the company developed the country’s first digital land-title system and the MyICSA Analysis Engine for the Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority. Its traveller-entry system was also used during the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, helping reduce processing times from 43 seconds to 10 seconds for delegations from 24 nations. Together, these deployments demonstrate the company’s experience delivering digital systems for land administration, government immigration processing and border management.

One of the most documented examples is NiuPay’s work with PNG’s Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority. A case study published by Amazon Web Services describes the MyICSA Analysis Engine, built by NiuPay on AWS, as the first known use of generative AI in a live government system in the Pacific Islands. Short-term visas that could take up to two weeks to process are now handled in minutes. According to AWS, about 95% of short-term applications are processed automatically, and the authority can handle up to 1,000 a day. ICSA Chief Migration Officer Wellington Navasivu told AWS that the average processing time for short-term visas had fallen to four minutes.

Two details in the case study speak directly to the wider implementation challenge. First, AWS says the system was built and trained locally for PNG’s needs, contrasting with the imported-model approach the region has long relied on. Second, the system does not make every decision autonomously: it approves a visa automatically only when it is fully certain, while less certain cases go to an immigration officer. Officers can also update the rules without technical help. That design keeps policy decisions with the authority rather than the technology. ICSA plans to extend the system to work permits and passport processing.

The ICSA platform, digital land-title system and Pacific Games border-processing system show how NiuPay’s work has progressed to operational deployment. The examples demonstrate the application of digital technology to public administration, from immigration processing and land records to the management of international arrivals. The ICSA case also illustrates how automation can accelerate administrative processes while leaving decisions requiring human judgement with government officers.

Digital sovereignty requires government oversight

Institutional control is central. As governments adopt digital services, they must consider who controls the underlying systems, how sensitive information is handled, whether platforms can be maintained locally and how dependent agencies become on individual vendors. The ability to retain operational and governance control can be as important as the initial deployment of a technology.

For Fiji and other Pacific economies, partnerships with regional technology providers may create opportunities to develop services that better reflect local administrative environments. But a local presence alone does not guarantee digital sovereignty. Governments still need clear procurement standards, cybersecurity requirements, data-governance rules, technical oversight and arrangements that preserve their ability to change providers or systems when necessary.

Building local skills for regional growth

NiuPay’s regional engagement also extends beyond commercial contracts. The company has participated in the Pacific Fiber Conference in Suva, sponsored NCIT 2026 and entered a three-year partnership with Pacific Women in Telecommunications to provide internships and mentoring opportunities for young women across the region.

Those initiatives address another constraint on digital transformation: the availability of skilled workers. Hiring locally can help build the technical expertise needed to implement and maintain systems, while regional training partnerships may widen access to technology careers. Developing local talent alongside deploying technology can help build the expertise required to maintain digital services over time and reduce reliance on external support.

NiuPay’s expansion is supported by strategic investment from Kina Bank and its relationship with AWS, reflecting how regional capital and global technology infrastructure can help Pacific technology companies grow. Its next phase of regional work will build on this combination of locally developed applications, global cloud infrastructure and growing in-market engineering capability. For governments, the priority remains ensuring that essential technical knowledge, data governance and operational decision-making remain accessible to the institutions and communities they serve.

Taking proven digital capabilities across the Pacific

The implications extend beyond Fiji. Across the Pacific, governments are seeking to convert digital infrastructure into more accessible public services and stronger economic opportunities. NiuPay’s investment in Fiji, local recruitment and technical appointments build on systems already operating in the region, providing a platform for further deployments tailored to individual countries. Extending these capabilities across different jurisdictions will require sustained investment, local partnerships and solutions adapted to each country’s laws, institutions and operating conditions.

NiuPay’s track record in the Pacific includes a live government immigration platform, the country’s first digital land-title system and a border-processing system used during the Pacific Games. These deployments establish a practical foundation for its expansion into Fiji and other regional markets, demonstrating how digital technology can support public administration and improve operational efficiency.

As NiuPay grows its Fiji team and extends its regional presence, it is building on systems already delivered rather than starting from an unproven proposition. Governments will still need sound procurement, cybersecurity and data-governance frameworks, alongside investment in local skills and institutional capacity. With those foundations in place, NiuPay’s existing deployments provide a basis for extending proven digital capabilities across the Pacific.

Papua New Guinea needs to develop new electricity generation projects to maximise the benefits of a K350 million upgrade to the Ramu Grid transmission network, according to Minister responsible for PNG Power Ltd. Richard Maru.

The 132-kilovolt Ramu Transmission System Reinforcement Project was commissioned at the Taraka Substation in Lae, Morobe Province, on Oct. 9, completing a major component of a K1.9 billion investment in the country’s transmission infrastructure.

Maru said the upgraded network would improve the system’s capacity to carry electricity, but its benefits would depend on whether sufficient power could be generated to meet demand.

The project was financed through a K236.7 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and K113.3 million in counterpart funding from the Papua New Guinea government.

Together with the Tari-Hagen-Yonki 132kV transmission line, the project completes the main transmission backbone of the Ramu Grid.

Maru said the government’s next priority was to develop additional generation capacity, particularly through hydropower, to supply the network and meet the country’s electricity needs.

He identified four potential hydropower projects for further consideration: the Tua River project in Eastern Highlands Province, with a proposed capacity of 60 to 100 megawatts; Yenem Busu Marambi in Morobe Province, with 57 to 184MW; Yanganon/Nankina in Madang Province, with 10 to 110MW; and the 80MW Naoro Brown project serving Port Moresby and Central Province.

The proposed capacities indicate the potential scale of the projects, with final output dependent on their development.

Maru said hydropower projects typically take five to 10 years to deliver, requiring the government to consider shorter-term generation options while larger projects are developed.

For Morobe Province, he proposed temporary solar power plants at Wawin, Yalu and Erap, with planned capacities of 25MW, 10MW and 30MW to 50MW, respectively.

The proposed solar facilities could add electricity supply while longer-term hydropower projects progress, although they would need to be developed and connected to the network before delivering power to consumers.

Maru said investment in hydropower generation had not kept pace with electricity needs over the past 36 years, contributing to greater reliance on independent power producers.

He said expanding generation capacity was important to PNG Power’s long-term position and the country’s ability to provide reliable and affordable electricity to households, businesses and industries.

The transmission upgrade also reflects cooperation between Papua New Guinea and Japan in developing the country’s energy infrastructure.

Maru acknowledged Japan’s support, which has included equipment for the Rouna 4 Hydropower Station, transmission and substation testing equipment, and specialised training for 20 engineers in substation operations, network planning, protection, and financial and economic analysis.

A grant-funded rural electrification programme has also helped connect 3,700 households across several districts in Papua New Guinea.

Maru thanked the Japanese government and people for their continued support, as well as the Marape-Rosso government for providing counterpart funding for the transmission project. He also acknowledged the PNG Power board, management, project team and landowners along the transmission route.

With the main transmission backbone of the Ramu Grid completed, the next challenge is to secure enough generation capacity to supply the network. The proposed hydropower and solar projects are among the options identified to address the country’s electricity needs.

Telikom Ltd. has secured a K27.2 million grant from the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) to modernize its internal business systems and strengthen its capacity to deliver digital services across Papua New Guinea.

The grant agreement was signed at Telikom Rumana in Port Moresby on Monday, October 12, as the state-owned telecommunications provider advances its digital transformation program.

Telikom said the funding would support improvements to its business systems and operations, helping the company become more efficient and better equipped to meet customers' needs.

The investment forms part of a broader transformation program that includes improving connectivity, developing cloud data center capabilities and expanding access to digital services.

Telikom Chief Executive Officer Amos Tepi, OBE, reaffirmed the company's commitment to improving operational efficiency and building a more customer-focused telecommunications provider.

Expanding digital services

Telikom is also pursuing developments in digital financial services, artificial intelligence, cloud data centers and Starlink satellite connectivity as part of its broader digital ambitions.

Cloud data centers can support the storage, management and processing of digital information, while artificial intelligence offers opportunities to automate business processes and improve service delivery.

Satellite internet services could also help extend connectivity to remote communities where conventional telecommunications infrastructure is difficult or expensive to establish.

Expanding reliable telecommunications services is particularly important for PNG, where geographical challenges can limit access to communication networks. Improved connectivity can support government agencies delivering online services and exchanging information, while enabling businesses to adopt digital payments and online platforms.

The grant is intended to strengthen Telikom's internal systems and operational capacity, providing a foundation for the company to support future digital services as the country develops its digital economy.

Australia-PNG cooperation

The funding agreement also reflects cooperation between Australia and PNG in developing telecommunications infrastructure and digital services.

Telikom acknowledged the support of the Australian government, the Australian High Commission, the PNG government and Kumul Consolidated Holdings in securing the grant.

The next stage will involve implementing the planned improvements using the funding, with the company seeking to strengthen its operations and improve services for customers nationwide.

Papua New Guinea has secured new financial commitments for regional climate initiatives and joined other Melanesian leaders in agreeing to pursue a regional response to reported human rights abuses in West Papua, Prime Minister James Marape said.

Marape made the announcement at a press conference at Jacksons International Airport’s APEC Terminal upon returning from pre-COP31 meetings in Tuvalu and Fiji.

He said he used the preparatory meetings to urge major carbon emitters to provide climate financing proportionate to their emissions. Marape also confirmed that he would not attend the COP31 climate conference in Turkey, with Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso representing PNG instead.

The prime minister said PNG’s position as a major Pacific nation, with extensive forest and marine resources, placed it at the forefront of efforts to address climate change and strengthen regional cooperation.

“Climate change is affecting us directly through rising sea levels and highly unpredictable weather patterns,” he said.

Marape added that PNG had secured climate mitigation and adaptation partnerships with France, the European Union and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) through sustained advocacy in multilateral forums over the past seven years. He said more than K500 million in active climate programme funding was being managed in line with the government’s Medium-Term Development Plan.

Push for regional climate financing

Marape said discussions during the pre-COP meetings included replenishing the GCF and securing additional resources for regional climate initiatives.

He cited an A$100 million contribution from Australia and a US$10 million pledge from Fiji to regional mechanisms. He also highlighted PNG’s initial US$5 million contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), with the intention of renewing the support annually.

PNG wants the PRF to establish a US$500 million facility to finance projects such as land reclamation, solar power and clean water infrastructure, Marape said.

“I used these pre-COP meetings to advocate for big carbon footprint holders to assist climate-related activities with a size and scale that commensurates their global carbon emissions,” he said.

The prime minister said PNG had also maintained a K5 million annual bilateral support package over five years for land reclamation efforts in Tuvalu.

He called for greater international financial support for vulnerable Pacific nations, which face rising sea levels, increasingly unpredictable weather and other climate-related threats.

Marape said the government was pursuing several domestic initiatives, including forest conservation, marine protection under a 30-by-30 initiative, sea walls and island reclamation projects, and improved maritime transport for remote communities.

PNG is also targeting a transition to clean energy generation and the modernization of transport through electric vehicles and machinery by 2035, he said.

Other commitments include maintaining a moratorium on deep-sea mining, protecting coral reefs and working with the United Nations on the Law of the Sea.

Melanesian leaders discuss West Papua

On the sidelines of the regional meetings, leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) held informal discussions on the human rights situation in West Papua, Marape said.

According to the prime minister, the leaders agreed to pursue a formal resolution addressing reported human rights abuses and seeking assurances from Indonesian authorities on the protection of Melanesian populations.

Marape said the discussions acknowledged Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the presence of Melanesian communities in several Indonesian provinces.

“These crucial matters were discussed with the fullest respect to Indonesia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, where we openly acknowledged that Indonesia also has Melanesian people residing across several other provinces,” he said.

Marape said he would continue discussions with Indonesia’s ambassador to PNG and raise the matter directly with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during the upcoming APEC summit.

Regional cooperation remains central

Marape said PNG’s participation in regional forums reflected its commitment to supporting Pacific countries facing common environmental and development challenges.

“PNG is an integral part of the PIF family, and as a major holder of ocean and forest resources, our active support to member countries and collective regional solutions is very necessary,” he said.

“When we are in need, it is the PIF that we run to so when PIF is in need, we must help. We belong to the one Pacific family.”

He said the pre-COP meetings also provided opportunities to engage with development partners, exchange research and identify practical solutions to climate-related challenges.

PNG will continue advocating for stronger international financing commitments and regional cooperation as countries prepare for COP31, Marape said.

Prime Minister James Marape has called for greater private sector investment in electricity generation after the completion of the K263 million Ramu Transmission System Reinforcement Project, saying reliable and affordable power is essential to achieving the government's ambition of building a K200 billion economy by 2030 and beyond.

Speaking at the project's completion ceremony at Taraka Substation in Lae, Marape said the government had invested billions of kina in roads, electricity transmission and telecommunications to support economic growth, but more generation capacity was needed to meet rising demand.

He urged superannuation funds, landowner companies, domestic businesses and international investors to develop independent power projects, particularly in renewable energy.

“If you can bring us proposals to generate reliable electricity from renewable sources at competitive prices, particularly below 50 toea per kilowatt-hour, our Government will support you,” Marape said.

The project, supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is designed to improve electricity reliability in Lae and surrounding areas and increase the Ramu Grid's capacity to meet future demand.

It includes about 134 kilometers of additional 132-kilovolt transmission lines, 326 transmission towers, telecommunications systems and upgrades to the Ramu Switchyard and the Singsing, Erap and Taraka substations.

Funding comprises a Japanese concessional loan commitment of ¥8.34 billion, equivalent to about K237.2 million at indicative exchange rates, and K54.7 million in counterpart funding from the Papua New Guinea government.

According to JICA, the reinforced network is expected to substantially reduce power outages caused by transmission problems in Lae and nearby areas.

Government seeks 2,000MW generation capacity

Marape said PNG should aim to have at least 2,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity available by 2035 to support an expanding economy.

Additional power would be needed for major projects, including Wafi-Golpu, as well as mineral processing, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and manufacturing.

He said the government would encourage renewable energy investments using hydroelectricity, solar, wind and geothermal resources, while existing facilities such as the Yonki hydroelectric project would remain important to the country's electricity supply.

The prime minister also called on PNG Power Ltd. to strengthen partnerships with independent power producers to expand generation while keeping electricity reliable and affordable.

“We cannot continue to have power blackouts affecting our businesses, industries and communities. This must come to an end,” he said, apologizing to Lae residents and businesses for years of unreliable supply.

Marape said the Treasury's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook placed PNG's nominal gross domestic product at K160 billion as of July 2026, potentially bringing forward the government's K200 billion economic target by two years.

K1.9 billion invested in transmission network

The government has spent more than K1.9 billion since 2019 on the 132kV transmission network linking Tari, Mt. Hagen, Yonki and Lae, Marape said.

The corridor accounts for about 60% of the country's economic activity and population, according to the prime minister.

He said the investments in electricity transmission, rehabilitation of the Highlands Highway and fiber-optic telecommunications had established three key foundations for economic development.

“We have the highway, we have the power transmission infrastructure, and we have fiber-optic connectivity. These are the essential enablers of economic development,” he said.

Marape urged provincial governments along the Highlands Highway corridor to work with PNG Power and private investors to extend electricity distribution networks to district towns and rural communities.

He identified Bulolo, Mutzing, Kainantu, Okapa, Lufa, Asaro, Kundiawa, Tambul, Mendi, Nipa, Margarima, Tari and Komo among the communities that should benefit from improved electricity connections.

The government is also seeking to strengthen electricity infrastructure along other economic corridors, including Lae-Madang-Wewak, Kerema-Port Moresby, Lae-Bulolo-Garaina-Popondetta, Kokopo-Kimbe, Kavieng-Namatanai and Buka-Arawa-Buin.

Marape said better access to electricity, roads and telecommunications would support agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and rural enterprise.

Japan partnership spans five decades

Marape thanked Japan, JICA and Japanese Ambassador Mochizuki Hisanobu for their support of PNG's electricity infrastructure.

He said Japanese development assistance had supported major power projects over nearly five decades, including Warangoi, Rouna 4 and Yonki.

Together with the Ramu transmission upgrade, Japan's official development assistance loan commitments to these major electricity investments total about ¥26.3 billion, equivalent to approximately K748 million at indicative exchange rates.

The prime minister also acknowledged the contractors and PNG Power's board, management and workforce for delivering the project.

He said reliable electricity was central to the government's goal of expanding economic opportunities and improving living standards, including progress towards the national target of providing electricity access to 70% of the population by 2030.

The target is expected to support improved access for about 3.4 million people.

Marape urged investors not to underestimate PNG's economic potential, saying private capital would be critical to meeting the country's growing demand for power.

“Do not underestimate the resilience and economic potential of our people. The opportunities are there. Invest, innovate and work consistently, and you can build successful businesses while helping our country develop,” he said.

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to productive infrastructure investment, saying electricity projects should be measured by their contribution to jobs, industrial activity and improved living standards.

“I would rather invest K2 billion in electricity infrastructure that drives economic growth, creates jobs, supports industries and improves the lives of our people,” Marape said.

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) is targeting annual tourism output of more than K3.6 billion by 2028 and beyond, as the government and industry stakeholders seek to increase the sector’s contribution to economic growth, employment and investment.

TPA chief executive officer Eric Mossman Uvovo announced the target when he welcomed delegates to the PNG Tourism Summit 2026 at APEC Haus in Port Moresby on 13 October.

Speaking under the theme “Reset for Success: Unleashing Tourism and Hospitality Potential, the Hub of the Pacific”, Uvovo said PNG had the natural and cultural assets to become a leading tourism destination in the Pacific. However, realising that potential would require coordinated action by government, industry and communities.

He said tourism should be recognised as a strategic economic sector rather than merely a promotional activity, given its capacity to attract investment, create jobs, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and expand economic opportunities for communities.

“The question before us is not whether PNG has tourism potential. The world already knows we do. The question is whether we can work together to unlock that potential at scale, sustainably, and in a manner that delivers benefits to our people,” Uvovo said.

Tourism generates K1.2 billion in economic impact

PNG welcomed more than 130,000 visitors in 2025, generating an estimated K1.2 billion in economic impact, Uvovo said. Cruise arrivals also exceeded 26,000 passengers, highlighting opportunities to expand the country’s tourism market.

Digital engagement has also increased, with TPA recording a 166% rise in traffic to its website, indicating growing international interest in PNG and its tourism experiences.

Uvovo cited the global exposure generated by a photograph of a distinctive bird-of-paradise species taken in the PNG Highlands. The image attracted about 100 million views worldwide, demonstrating the international appeal of the country’s unique wildlife.

He said PNG’s biodiversity, marine environments, landscapes and living cultural traditions gave it a competitive advantage that few destinations could replicate.

The priority, he added, was to convert that interest into visitor arrivals, business activity and sustainable economic benefits.

To achieve this, TPA is pursuing an integrated tourism development framework covering destination marketing, tourism hubs, industry incubation, support programmes for operators and airlines, rural infrastructure, sports tourism, visitor safety and investment attraction.

Uvovo said these initiatives needed to work together to improve visitor experiences, expand access to destinations and create conditions conducive to private-sector investment.

“When airlines can access new markets, visitor numbers grow. When tourism operators are supported, experiences improve. When infrastructure reaches rural communities, economic participation expands,” he said.

He also highlighted the financial returns from international tourism promotion, citing TPA’s participation in ITB Berlin, a major international travel trade exhibition. The authority invested about K250,000 in attending the event and reported a return on investment of K4.5 million.

Uvovo said such trade and marketing activities, conducted with tourism operators and industry partners, could connect PNG businesses with international markets and generate additional visitor spending.

However, he stressed that promotion alone would not deliver sustainable growth. Policy coordination, infrastructure, air connectivity, workforce skills, visitor safety and tourism product development were equally important to building a competitive industry.

K200 billion economic ambition creates opportunities for tourism

Tourism also has a role to play in the government’s ambition to grow PNG’s economy to K200 billion by 2080, Uvovo said.

TPA’s targets include increasing annual visitor arrivals to more than 280,000 by 2028 and beyond, raising tourism output above K3.6 billion, increasing the sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), creating more jobs and attracting greater private-sector investment.

Achieving these goals would require government leadership in developing supportive policies and infrastructure, industry investment and innovation, continued development-partner support, and active community participation in tourism while protecting cultural and natural heritage.

Uvovo identified sports tourism, major international events, cruise tourism, cultural festivals, adventure tourism and investment-led destination development as opportunities to diversify the sector.

Upcoming National Rugby League (NRL) opportunities, international partnerships, global trade events and improved international connectivity could further raise PNG’s profile and stimulate tourism activity across the country.

“Tourism’s true value is measured not only in revenue but in the lives it improves,” he said, pointing to the benefits the industry could deliver to local businesses, families and provincial communities.

The two-day summit, running from 13 to 14 October, brought together government representatives, tourism and hospitality operators, investors, airlines, cruise executives, development partners and provincial representatives to discuss the sector’s future.

It was held alongside the APEC Tourism Working Group meeting, which brought representatives from APEC economies together for discussions and presentations.

Uvovo said the summit was intended to strengthen partnerships, improve coordination and secure practical commitments to advance tourism development.

He urged stakeholders to work towards a shared national vision, arguing that PNG did not need to imitate other destinations to compete internationally.

“Our competitive advantage lies in our authenticity. Our culture, language, traditions, biodiversity, and landscapes are unlike anywhere else in the world.

“Our task is not to become someone else. Our task is to become the very best version of Papua New Guinea.”

Tourism trade exhibition open to the public

Alongside the summit, the Tourism Trade Exhibition was held at APEC Haus on 13 and 14 October, from 10am to 4pm, with free public entry.

The exhibition gave visitors an opportunity to meet exhibitors, explore tourism products and services, connect with industry representatives and participate in prize draws. It also provided tourism operators and businesses with a platform to showcase their offerings and build industry connections.

Uvovo said collaboration, investment and a shared commitment to sustainable growth would be essential to turning PNG’s tourism potential into a stronger contributor to national economic development.

He welcomed delegates and industry participants to the summit, calling for meaningful partnerships and practical action to strengthen PNG’s position as a distinctive tourism destination in the Pacific.

Steamships today marked a significant milestone in its long-term commitment to Bougainville with the groundbreaking ceremony for its new corporate office and accommodation facility in Toniva, Central Bougainville.

The new single-storey modular office and accommodation facility will re-establish Steamships’ permanent presence in Bougainville, providing a local base to support its investment pipeline, develop sustainable partnerships with the people of Bougainville and maintain ongoing engagement with key stakeholders. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The development follows a memorandum of understanding signed between the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and Steamships in May 2026, establishing a framework for collaboration on land management, community governance and economic development in Bougainville.

Steamships Managing Director Chris Daniells said the project reflects the company’s confidence in Bougainville’s future and the strong relationships built since 2022 through ongoing engagement, consultation and collaboration with traditional land custodians and the ABG.

“I thank the traditional land custodians and the ABG for their trust, partnership and commitment throughout this process. Today’s groundbreaking is an important milestone that reflects the strong foundation we have built together through engagement, consultation, collaboration and a shared vision for Bougainville’s future. It marks the start of the next phase as we continue working together to support sustainable development, attract investment and create long-term economic opportunities for the people of Bougainville.”

Toniva was selected for its strategic location within North Nasioi, Central Bougainville. The area is earmarked to become a future economic corridor, with strong potential to support the revival of commercial, logistics and light industrial activities.

Steamships currently holds title to 19 properties in the Toniva area, acquired before the Bougainville Crisis. The company views the development as an important step towards supporting future investment and economic activity in the region.

The people of Aitape and the wider West Sepik Province will benefit from new port facilities designed to provide safe and reliable sea access following the official launch of the K25 million Aitape Port Redevelopment Project.

The project is funded internally by PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) and forms part of its nationwide Port Upgrade Programme, which covers the national port network, from major gateways such as Lae and Motukea to ports serving communities in Kimbe and smaller Community Service Obligation (CSO) locations.

A recent independent socio-economic assessment found that the 15 ports managed by PNG Ports support about K29 billion in economic activity annually, equivalent to 22 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Although only Lae, Port Moresby and Kimbe are commercially self-sustaining, every port in the network delivers significant social and economic value to the communities it serves. Earnings from the major ports help support the operation of smaller ports.

The assessment identified Aitape as a critical lifeline for the Aitape-Lumi District. With the port out of service, cargo has been transported by road to and from Wewak, a journey of three to five hours each way along a route prone to flooding at multiple river crossings.

Air freight is too expensive for most goods, while heavy cash crops such as cocoa cannot be transported economically by road to other ports.

With the investment, Aitape Port has the potential to handle about 25,000 tonnes of cargo annually and support approximately K101 million in regional economic activity each year.

The project was officially launched by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Minister for State Enterprises William Duma, together with Aitape-Lumi MP Anderson Mise and other dignitaries.

Duma said the redevelopment fulfilled a commitment to bring larger vessels back to Aitape.

“Aitape is one of the remote ports, like Vanimo and Wewak, that are lifelines where road connectivity is impractical,” Duma said. “Moving people and freight to other destinations will be cheaper and more reliable.”

The project will be delivered by China Harbour Engineering Company (PNG) Limited over 12 months. The works include construction of a new main wharf and mooring dolphin structure, rehabilitation of the approach trestle and small ship wharf, and installation of new fenders, bollards and wharf furniture.

The new fender systems are designed to protect the wharf and trestle from the impact of berthing vessels, helping to extend the service life of the infrastructure.

Once completed, the port will support the safe and reliable movement of cargo, passengers, household goods, medical supplies and school materials. It will also give local producers of seafood, cocoa, vanilla and fresh produce better access to markets.

“We recognised that Aitape needed a lasting solution, not a temporary repair,” PNG Ports chief executive officer Neil Papenfus said. “Today, we are proud to launch these works, funded by PNG Ports at a cost of K25 million.”

“This port belongs to your community, and we are committed to delivering a facility that will serve you well for many years to come,” Papenfus said.

Duma also called on community leaders, landowners, churches and police to work together to protect the port infrastructure and support PNG Ports’ maintenance plan.

PNG Ports acknowledged Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH), the West Sepik Provincial Government, the Aitape-Lumi District Development Authority, and the people and customary landowners of Aitape for their support.

About PNG Ports Corporation Limited

PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) is Papua New Guinea’s national ports authority, managing 15 of the country’s 23 declared ports and handling 100 per cent of the nation’s seaborne trade.

The state-owned corporation is the successor to the PNG Harbours Board, with Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) serving as its sole shareholder on behalf of the State of Papua New Guinea.

The corporation’s management and operations are governed by relevant port and shipping regulations, as well as policy directives issued by the National Executive Council through the Ministry of State Enterprises.

PNG Ports Corporation Limited was officially launched on 13 November 2006. Its predecessors operated under several names: the Papua and New Guinea Harbours Board from 1963 to 1969, the Papua New Guinea Harbours Board from 1970 to 2002, and PNG Harbours Board Limited from 2002 to 2006.

The corporation operates and manages 15 ports: Aitape, Alotau, Buka, Daru, Kavieng, Kieta, Kimbe, Lae, Lorengau, Madang, Oro Bay, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Vanimo and Wewak.

These ports handle more than 5.8 million tonnes of cargo annually, representing 100 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s seaborne trade and serving as key gateways to more than 300 scattered islands.

PNG Ports provides berthage, wharfage, storage, pilotage, harbour management, surveillance and other port-related services. Pilotage services are supported by pilot launches stationed at the corporation’s main ports. Port-related tariffs are regulated by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).

Global law firm Dentons has strengthened its national projects, energy and infrastructure capabilities with the appointment of Partner Jack Brumpton, expanding its expertise in sectors driving growth and transformation across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

Based in Brisbane, Brumpton will work closely with colleagues across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, bringing extensive experience advising clients in the energy, resources and infrastructure sectors.

His expertise covers energy and infrastructure project development, project acquisitions and divestments, joint ventures, commercial contracting, regulatory and approvals frameworks, energy transition initiatives and emerging energy technologies.

Brumpton is recognised for his work on complex and first-of-their-kind projects. He has advised on major upstream oil and gas, liquefied natural gas, renewable energy, hydrogen, battery storage, energy transmission, offshore wind, carbon market and sustainable development projects across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

He previously served as in-house counsel at SunCable, advising on the Australia-Asia PowerLink project.

Business Unit Leader and Partner Marcus Graham said Brumpton's appointment reflected Dentons' continued investment in sectors driving significant growth and transformation across Australia.

His energy sector expertise, commercial approach and experience advising on major projects would further enhance the value the firm delivers to clients, Graham said.

Australian Chair and Chief Executive Officer for Australasia Amber Warren said Brumpton was widely respected for his work across the region's energy, resources and major projects sectors.

As governments, investors, developers and asset owners navigate opportunities arising from the energy transition and increasing infrastructure investment, Brumpton's experience would be valuable to clients pursuing their commercial objectives, Warren said.

Brumpton said he was pleased to join Dentons at a time of significant change for the firm and the broader energy sector.

The firm's energy, resources and infrastructure team brings together expertise spanning the full project lifecycle, and he looked forward to working with clients on opportunities and challenges shaping Australia's future, he said.

The appointment further strengthens Dentons' capabilities in key growth sectors, including renewable energy, transmission and storage, resources, utilities and major project development.

Dentons' national Infrastructure and Energy team advises clients across the project lifecycle, combining expertise in energy regulation, transmission and National Electricity Market connections with capabilities in project development, financing, delivery and the operation of critical infrastructure.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Australian government have committed $12.85 million to the fifth phase of the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI), continuing efforts to improve the business and investment environment across the region.

The initiative will help governments in ADB’s 14 Pacific developing member countries modernize business, investment and financial sector regulations, strengthen institutions and expand access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Since its launch in 2007, PSDI has supported more than 500 reforms, including improvements to business laws, online business registries, secured transactions frameworks and capital markets. It has also supported reforms to strengthen state-owned enterprises and increase women’s representation in senior executive and board positions.

ADB Pacific Department Regional Head for Private Sector Development Haroun Khawaja said the new funding would sustain efforts to modernize business regulations and strengthen institutions, digital systems and financing mechanisms for small enterprises and women entrepreneurs.

ADB also cited its long-standing partnership with Australia as central to the initiative’s work since 2007.

Pacific economies face high business costs, limited access to finance and small, geographically dispersed markets. Exposure to climate-related disasters and regulatory frameworks that have not kept pace with changing business needs also constrain investment and job creation.

PSDI Phase V will support reforms to business and financial regulations, strengthen business registries and state-owned enterprises, and develop financing approaches for smaller businesses.

The program will also promote women’s economic empowerment through improved data, systems and institutional support, while producing research and outreach materials to encourage reform.

New priorities include climate and disaster resilience, digital government, anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, and disability inclusion.

The latest phase is funded by $3 million from ADB’s Technical Assistance Special Fund and $9.85 million in Australian government cofinancing.

Across its four previous phases, PSDI received $76.2 million from Australia, $8.9 million from New Zealand and $11.1 million from ADB.

ADB is a multilateral development bank established in 1966 to support sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. It is owned by 69 members, including 50 from the region.

Tags: Asian Development Bank. Government of Australia. Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative. Haroun Khawaja. Pacific developing member countries. New Zealand government.

Papua New Guinea is pursuing fisheries reforms and strategic investments to expand domestic tuna processing, attract private investment and retain more economic value from its marine resources, Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Jelta Wong said.

In an exclusive interview with PNG Business News, Wong said the government was implementing reforms to strengthen local participation, increase export earnings and create jobs for Papua New Guineans.

The initiatives include the National Tuna Domestication Strategy, the StartFish Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), reforms to the Vessel Day Scheme and the transition to a sustainable Fisheries Incentive Framework.

“These reforms aim to increase domestic tuna processing, attract investment and ensure PNG retains more economic value from its fisheries resources,” Wong said.

A key development is the establishment of Fisheries Capital Limited (FCL), a state-owned enterprise created as the government’s commercial investment vehicle in the fisheries sector.

Wong said FCL would enable the state to invest in fisheries infrastructure, downstream processing and commercial partnerships, generating financial returns while creating jobs and opportunities for local businesses.

The government is also advancing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) initiatives to support large-scale processing and exports, including the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ).

While FCL will focus on commercial investment, the National Fisheries Authority will retain responsibility for regulation and sustainable fisheries management, Wong said.

Together, the initiatives are intended to expand domestic processing capacity, attract private investment and increase opportunities for Papua New Guinean businesses.

“Together, these initiatives aim to increase export earnings, foreign exchange, employment and government revenue, ensuring more Papua New Guineans benefit from the country’s marine resources,” he said.

Expanding opportunities for coastal communities and local businesses

Increasing the economic benefits flowing to coastal communities remains a key challenge despite PNG’s substantial marine resources.

Wong said the government was prioritizing domestic tuna processing, fisheries infrastructure, coastal fisheries development and commercial aquaculture to expand opportunities for local businesses and communities.

He identified the PMIZ and other SEZ initiatives, the StartFish MOA and FCL as key measures to increase local participation and develop the sector’s commercial potential.

The StartFish agreement is intended to encourage more tuna to be landed and processed domestically, helping PNG retain more value from its fisheries resources.

The government is also promoting investment in hatcheries, cold storage, processing facilities and export supply chains to strengthen the industry and improve access to overseas markets.

Wong said these investments would create opportunities for coastal communities, small and medium-sized enterprises and provincial governments to participate more directly in the sector.

Fisheries sector generates more than K1.6 billion in annual exports

Wong said the reforms build on an industry that generates more than K1.6 billion in annual fish and fisheries exports and supports approximately 14,000 jobs.

“Our objective is to ensure more of the value generated from our marine resources stays in Papua New Guinea through increased local participation, employment, investment and foreign exchange earnings,” he said.

The government aims to increase the share of fisheries revenue retained domestically through expanded processing, commercial investment and greater participation by Papua New Guinean businesses.

The extent of these benefits will depend on how effectively the reforms, infrastructure projects and investment initiatives translate into greater domestic processing capacity, stronger local businesses and sustainable employment.

The government’s strategy places tuna processing, fisheries infrastructure, commercial aquaculture and state investment at the center of efforts to increase economic returns from PNG’s marine resources.

New Simberi Gold has signed the revised 2013 National Executive Council-endorsed Community Development Agreement (CDA) for Simberi, marking a milestone in strengthening partnerships and establishing a framework for sustainable development across the Tabar Islands.

The agreement was signed on Friday at the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) headquarters in Port Moresby by New Simberi Gold, operating under its parent company, Tabar Island Holdings Pty Ltd. (TIHPL), following a review and board approval process.

TIHPL Country Manager Randy McMahon said the signing followed years of negotiations and collaboration among the company, government representatives and landowner stakeholders. The agreement establishes a framework for improving the distribution of mining benefits and coordinating development priorities for Simberi communities.

A key provision allows royalties to be distributed directly to their intended beneficiaries, alongside a structured infrastructure and socioeconomic development plan involving the state and provincial government.

McMahon said the agreement would help ensure mining benefits reach their intended recipients while creating opportunities for the government and industry to work together on community priorities.

“Following concerns raised over royalty distribution in the past, this agreement establishes a more transparent process that directs royalties straight to beneficiaries. That is one of the most significant achievements of this CDA,” he said.

The agreement also includes a state commitment of 15 million kina (K15 million) for infrastructure projects over three years, providing a basis for coordinated investment in essential services and community development across Simberi.

McMahon said the CDA would strengthen cooperation among the company, government and landowner representatives to address development needs, improve living conditions and support the operation’s long-term sustainability.

It also provides a longer-term development framework that extends beyond the mine’s immediate operational needs, taking into account the future of landowners and their families after mine closure.

The signing follows a CDA ceremony on Aug. 28, 2026, when the other participating parties executed the agreement. New Simberi Gold deferred its signing to allow its partners — St Barbara, Lingbao Gold Group and Kumul Minerals Holdings Ltd. — to review the final document and obtain the necessary board approval.

McMahon acknowledged the MRA and other stakeholders for their continued efforts throughout the negotiations, saying the agreement required sustained collaboration and a shared commitment to reaching an outcome.

MRA Project Coordination Manager Pelis Vatnabar welcomed the signing, describing it as a significant step in a process spanning nearly three decades. He said stakeholders resumed discussions in 2025 and concluded negotiations the following year, paving the way for the formal signing.

Vatnabar said the milestone strengthened the partnership among the company, the state and various levels of government, creating an opportunity to work together on the broader development priorities of Simberi stakeholders.

The focus now shifts to implementing the agreement’s commitments and delivering lasting benefits to communities across the Tabar Islands and New Ireland Province.

Papua New Guinea faces a high risk of money laundering, with corruption, fraud, tax crime and illegal resource extraction among the main threats. The Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) is calling for stronger enforcement, effective prosecutions and the recovery of criminal proceeds to demonstrate progress in tackling financial crime.

Speaking at the opening of the Second Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Counter-Proliferation Financing (AML/CTF/CPF) Conference at APEC Haus in Port Moresby on September 30, 2026, BPNG Governor Elizabeth Genia, who also co-chairs the National Coordinating Committee (NCC), said the country must move beyond legislative reforms and demonstrate tangible results.

Held under the theme “Follow the Money, Eliminate the Threat,” the two-day conference brought together government agencies, financial institutions, international partners and other stakeholders to strengthen PNG’s response to financial crime.

“Awareness was our first step. We now need to demonstrate results,” Genia said.

PNG advances on FATF action plan

PNG was placed under increased monitoring, commonly known as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, in February 2026. Its action plan requires coordinated reforms across 23 agencies represented on the NCC.

Genia said PNG submitted its first progress report to the FATF’s International Cooperation Review Group in September and had largely addressed the action items due during the initial reporting cycle.

Parliament has passed amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing Act, the United Nations Financial Sanctions Act and the Criminal Code. The changes aim to address deficiencies identified in PNG’s mutual evaluation and strengthen authorities’ powers to freeze assets, impose sanctions and confiscate criminal proceeds.

PNG has also updated its National Risk Assessment to identify vulnerabilities across the financial system and wider economy.

However, Genia said future FATF reporting cycles would focus on implementation rather than legislation alone.

“Every reporting cycle from this point forward will ask the same question, not just what legislation has been passed but what we have done with it,” she said.

Authorities must demonstrate effective investigations, prosecutions and the seizure or confiscation of assets linked to criminal activity. Initiatives such as Taskforce ARROW form part of the country’s efforts to pursue illicit funds through the courts.

Corruption and fraud pose major threats

PNG’s National Risk Assessment classified the country’s overall money laundering risk as high, identifying corruption and fraud as the most significant threats. Other risks include tax crime, illegal logging, fisheries crime, drug trafficking, cyber-enabled crime and illegal mining, including gold exports that go unrecorded.

Although terrorist financing and proliferation financing were assessed as lower risks, Genia said they still required attention.

The assessment also identified vulnerabilities in legitimate financial and professional services that could be exploited to move illicit funds into the formal economy. These include banks, money remitters, foreign exchange dealers, real estate businesses, lawyers, accountants and company service providers.

Genia said these findings were not an indictment of legitimate businesses but highlighted the need for stronger internal controls, transparency and cooperation with regulators and law enforcement agencies.

Cash transactions and the informal economy make financial flows harder to trace, while inadequate beneficial ownership transparency can hinder efforts to identify the individuals who ultimately control companies and assets.

The Financial Analysis and Supervision Unit (FASU), which receives and analyzes suspicious matter reports, plays a key role in identifying potential financial crime. Genia said, however, that financial intelligence must translate into investigations and prosecutions rather than remain within reporting systems.

Success should be measured by whether authorities can substantiate suspected criminal activity, bring cases before the courts, hold offenders accountable and recover illicit proceeds.

She urged banks to strengthen their controls, noting that the National Risk Assessment identified the banking sector as the most vulnerable among those assessed. Lawyers, accountants, real estate agents and dealers in precious metals were also encouraged to cooperate with authorities as risk-based supervision is strengthened.

Digital payments support financial inclusion

Genia linked the fight against financial crime to efforts to expand financial inclusion, cautioning that the reliance on cash in rural communities should not be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.

Cash remains central to everyday transactions for farmers, market vendors and people with limited access to formal banking services.

“Our task is not to punish the use of cash. It is to give people an alternative,” she said.

BPNG is working to accelerate the shift to digital payments, supported by know-your-customer controls proportionate to the risks involved. The approach aims to improve transaction transparency without imposing unnecessary barriers on small-scale traders, farmers and other people who rely on cash.

Genia said international partnerships were also important to ensuring anti-money laundering standards support financial inclusion rather than exclude ordinary citizens from the formal financial system.

Greater participation in that system could improve transaction visibility and make it harder for criminals to exploit legitimate financial channels. She said financial crime undermines economic development by depriving vulnerable communities of opportunities and resources.

The conference was co-hosted by BPNG’s FASU and Transparency International Papua New Guinea. Participating agencies included the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council, Department of Justice and Attorney General, Independent Commission Against Corruption, Office of the Public Prosecutor, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, PNG Customs Service, Internal Revenue Commission and Investment Promotion Authority.

The program covered the National Risk Assessment, progress on the FATF action plan, corruption risks and Taskforce ARROW.

Genia urged participants to share experiences, address difficult questions and identify opportunities for closer cooperation. “Grey listing did not define PNG in February, and it does not define us today. What matters is how we respond,” she said.

PNG’s progress will depend on consistent enforcement of its strengthened laws, effective compliance by businesses and demonstrable results in identifying and recovering criminal proceeds.

K92 Mining Inc produced 49,776 ounces of gold equivalent in the third quarter of 2026 at its Kainantu Gold Mine in Papua New Guinea, marking its second-highest quarterly production result and taking cumulative output beyond one million ounces.

The Canadian-listed miner said production from July to September included 46,063 ounces of gold, 1.95 million pounds of copper and 55,746 ounces of silver.

The company reported record quarterly ore processing of 250,042 tonnes, an 82% increase from the same period in 2025 and an 11% rise from the second quarter of 2026. The average head grade was 6.6 grams per tonne of gold equivalent.

K92 also achieved record quarterly ore mining of 252,744 tonnes, up 66% year on year, and total material mined of 485,812 tonnes, an increase of 37% from the third quarter of 2025.

Quarterly mine development reached a record 3,486 metres, up 41% year on year. The company said lateral development averaged 1,162 metres per month, exceeding the Stage 3 expansion requirement of 1,000 metres.

The results brought K92's cumulative production to one million ounces of gold equivalent since declaring commercial production in February 2018.

Chief executive David Medilek said the milestone reflected the company's exploration success and the expansion of production capacity through operational and project execution.

He credited the support of Papua New Guinea's government, alongside employees, contractors, local communities and other stakeholders, for contributing to the mine's growth.

Expansion supports higher production

K92 said its Stage 3 expansion remained on budget, with 98% of growth capital either spent or committed as at Sept. 30.

The expanded processing plant, which has an annual capacity of 1.2 million tonnes, continued to perform well after commissioning was completed in December 2025. It achieved record monthly throughput of 92,937 tonnes in September and daily throughput of 3,725 tonnes on Sept. 19, about 13% above its design capacity of 3,290 tonnes per day.

Gold recovery reached 94.1%, while copper recovery was 94.9%. Both exceeded the parameters in the company's updated definitive feasibility study.

Underground operations also advanced, with the second material pass becoming operational in June and the first stope ore from the third mining front, known as the Twin Incline, delivered in September. K92 expects to expand to four mining fronts in 2027.

Infrastructure upgrades are expected to further improve mine productivity. The Baupa and Kokomo bridges and Kasese river crossing were completed during the quarter, tripling payload capacity from 20 tonnes to 60 tonnes.

Five new 60-tonne Volvo surface trucks began operating late in the quarter, with three more expected to arrive in the fourth quarter. The company is also progressing a primary ventilation upgrade designed to increase underground airflow capacity from about 350 cubic metres per second to 600 cubic metres per second, with commissioning targeted for October.

K92 said these improvements should reduce haulage times, improve underground material movement and support higher production rates.

Full-year guidance maintained

The company maintained its 2026 production guidance of 190,000 to 225,000 ounces of gold equivalent, with the fourth quarter expected to be its strongest of the year.

K92 attributed the anticipated increase to a planned higher-grade stoping sequence, rising mining rates, the continued ramp-up of its second and third mining fronts, and completion of key expansion projects.

The company sold 41,587 ounces of gold, 1.91 million pounds of copper and 53,575 ounces of silver during the third quarter.

K92 said further improvements in underground development and material handling are expected as additional equipment arrives and expansion infrastructure is commissioned.

The company plans to increase lateral development rates beyond Stage 4 expansion requirements in 2027 to provide greater operational flexibility and support its next phase of growth.

Gulf and Central provinces have agreed to an 80:20 split of benefits worth K6.606 billion from the Papua LNG project, resolving a major dispute over the distribution of royalties, equity and development funding ahead of the project's targeted final investment decision in December.

The Tier 1 benefit-sharing agreement was signed at APEC Haus in Port Moresby on Oct. 8, following months of negotiations between the two provinces and the national government.

Under the arrangement, Gulf will receive 80% of the benefits, while Central will receive 20%. Gulf hosts the project's wellheads, while Central is recognised for its role in hosting downstream facilities and associated infrastructure.

The K6.606 billion package covers royalties, development levies, equity participation, infrastructure development grants, business development support, employment and training opportunities, and other benefits. The package is intended to be distributed among landowners, provincial governments, district development authorities and local-level governments in the two provinces over the project's lifetime.

The agreement establishes the allocation framework for the remaining benefit-sharing negotiations, although further agreements and government decisions are needed before all beneficiaries' allocations are finalised.

Dispute over allocation

The agreement follows weeks of contentious negotiations over how the benefits should be divided.

Gulf had sought a 95% share of the benefits, arguing that its position as the host province for the project's upstream facilities justified a larger allocation. Central, meanwhile, sought a greater share in recognition of its role as a co-host and the location of downstream processing and infrastructure facilities.

Central had proposed a 55:45 split in favour of Gulf in its position paper, while earlier discussions also included proposals for 60:40 and 65:35 allocations. The national government's initial proposal was a 70:30 split in Gulf's favour, which Gulf representatives rejected. 

The final 80:20 arrangement represents a compromise between the provinces' competing positions. Reports on the negotiations also said the national government committed an additional K1.2 billion through Tax Credit Scheme projects to help bridge the differences, alongside proposed infrastructure, business development and equity-related support. 

The formal signing involved provincial government representatives, district development authorities, local-level governments, landowner representatives, Petroleum Minister Jimmy Maladina and officials involved in the state negotiation process.

Central Province Governor Rufina Peter and other provincial representatives participated in the negotiations, while Gulf's delegation was led by Acting Governor Morris Taudevin.

The signing process also involves affected landowners along the project's pipeline corridor. Central landowners signed after the provincial-level agreement, while further signings involving Gulf landowners from the northern, southern and middle segments were expected to continue.

Marape welcomes agreement

Prime Minister James Marape welcomed the agreement, describing it as a milestone towards the project's targeted final investment decision on Dec. 15.

He said the arrangement demonstrated cooperation between the two provinces and would allow the government to advance the distribution of project benefits through the National Executive Council.

Marape said the agreement followed the broad principles established under the existing PNG LNG project, where benefits are distributed among upstream resource areas, downstream facilities and pipeline corridors.

He also reaffirmed the government's policy that 40% of the state's equity participation should flow back to the provinces and landowners where resources are developed. 

The agreement comes after the government announced broader changes to Papua LNG's commercial arrangements in September, including an additional 2.5 percentage points of potential state equity, bringing Papua New Guinea's stake to 25%, according to Marape.

The government also said it had secured a revised domestic gas pricing formula, reducing the rate from 9% to 5% of the Japan Customs-cleared crude oil benchmark, with the aim of lowering domestic gas costs for power producers. These arrangements form part of the broader effort to advance the project towards a final investment decision. 

Focus shifts to remaining negotiations

Maladina said the agreed benefits must deliver measurable improvements in the lives of communities affected by the project.

He said royalties and development levies should contribute to better schools, health services, roads, water supply and other essential services.

Equity participation should provide eligible beneficiaries with meaningful long-term economic interests in the project, supported by sound governance and responsible financial management, he said.

Infrastructure commitments must result in properly planned, completed and maintained projects, while business development assistance should help establish Papua New Guinean enterprises capable of supplying Papua LNG and serving the wider economy.

Maladina urged all parties to continue negotiations in good faith, with fairness and transparency, adding that the success of the development forum would ultimately be judged by whether commitments translated into tangible benefits.

Negotiations for Tiers 2, 3, 4 and 5 are scheduled to continue throughout October, with the government aiming to conclude the remaining discussions in early November.

The outstanding negotiations will determine how benefits are allocated among the other eligible stakeholders, including landowners and affected communities, under the framework established by the Tier 1 agreement.

Papua LNG targets December investment decision

The benefit-sharing agreement is a key step in preparations for Papua LNG, one of Papua New Guinea's major planned resource investments.

The project is targeting a final investment decision by Dec. 15, 2026, following revised commercial arrangements and efforts to reduce development costs. 

French energy company TotalEnergies announced in September that the project had completed its engineering, procurement and construction tendering process, with contract award recommendations ready for approval by the joint-venture partners. Cost optimisation measures have reduced estimated capital expenditure to about US$14 billion, from earlier projections, the company said.

The project is also undergoing an operational restructuring, with ExxonMobil set to take over operatorship from TotalEnergies to improve coordination with the existing PNG LNG operation.

Marape has described Papua LNG as an investment of about K60 billion for Papua New Guinea, with the potential to generate employment, expand business opportunities and strengthen government revenue during construction and throughout its operating life. 

The completion of the remaining benefit-sharing agreements will be an important part of the preparations for the investment decision. However, the December target remains dependent on the project's outstanding approvals and other requirements being completed.

For Gulf and Central, the immediate challenge will be ensuring that the agreed allocations result in improved infrastructure, public services, local employment and business participation, rather than remaining commitments on paper.

More than 66,000 people in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville are expected to benefit from two new renewable energy projects under Australia's REnew Pacific programme, which aims to expand access to reliable electricity in remote communities across the Pacific.

Australian Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced the three new projects, including a third in Fiji, at a Pre-COP31 event in Fiji this week.

In Papua New Guinea's Oro Province, Sola PayGo and MiBank will deploy pay-as-you-go solar home systems, streetlights and education servers in 19 communities between Popondetta and the Kokoda Track, reaching about 55,000 people.

The project will also provide training in technical skills, financial literacy and digital literacy to support local livelihoods and improve access to education.

In Bougainville, Save the Children and the Autonomous Bougainville Government's Department of Education will install solar power and battery storage systems at five remote schools in Tinputz.

A school-managed solar lantern scheme will also provide safer lighting to as many as 2,000 nearby households, benefiting more than 11,400 people.

The projects are intended to improve electricity access for communities where reliable power remains a challenge, while supporting education, household needs and local economic activity.

The third project, led by the It's Time Foundation in partnership with Fiji's Ministry of Education, will install solar systems with battery storage at 13 remote schools and teachers' homes across Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, Taveuni and the Yasawa Islands. It will also provide Starlink internet, laptops and smart televisions, benefiting more than 1,200 students.

The announcements were made during a special Pre-COP31 session, *Powering the Pacific: Electrification for Climate Resilience, Energy Security and Development*, which brought together Pacific and Australian leaders, communities and experts to discuss renewable energy's role in regional development and energy security.

The three projects bring REnew Pacific's portfolio to 13 locally led projects across seven countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Launched less than two years ago, the programme now reaches more than 255,000 people through projects supporting more than 8,100 homes, 98 schools and 49 health centres.

REnew Pacific builds on the Australian Government's Off-Grid Renewable Energy Partnerships pilots, launched in 2024 across Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu.

Combined, the two initiatives comprise 26 projects, 15 of which have been completed, reaching more than 428,000 people across 215 schools, health centres and communities.

Robinson Energy has received an offer from Papua New Guinea’s Petroleum Minister Jimmy Maladina to be granted a five-year Petroleum Retention Licence covering the Triceratops gas and condensate discovery in Gulf province.

The proposed PRL 68 would give Robinson a 100% interest in the nine-block licence area, subject to the completion of the grant process.

The offer, dated October 2, was made under Section 39 of the Oil and Gas Act 1998 following a report by the Petroleum Advisory Board and was served on Robinson by the National Petroleum Authority on October 5, the Canadian-listed company said.

The licence area was previously held under PRL 39, which lapsed in July.

Under the proposed terms, Robinson would commit about US$52 million to a five-year work programme covering geological and geophysical studies, seismic work, commercial studies and at least one appraisal well.

The Triceratops structure is an onshore gas and condensate discovery in the Papuan Basin. Gas has been flowed from three wells drilled over several decades, with the highest reported test rate reaching 28 million cubic feet per day.

BP’s Bwata-1 well, drilled in 1959, flowed gas at up to 28 MMcf/d. InterOil’s Triceratops-2 well recorded a test rate of 27 MMcf/d in 2012, while Triceratops-3 flowed 17.1 MMcf/d of gas and 200 barrels per day of condensate in 2015.

Triceratops is located about 45 kilometres west-north-west of the Elk-Antelope fields, which underpin the Papua LNG project.

Robinson said it intends to investigate a potential tieback of Triceratops into the Papua LNG system, with gas potentially transported for processing and tolled liquefaction at Caution Bay. Condensate could be transported by pipeline to the Kumul Marine Terminal.

The company plans to seek third-party access for up to 50 MMcf/d of gas.

However, no agreement has been reached with the Papua LNG project operator or its participants, and Robinson cautioned that access may not be secured on acceptable terms or at all.

The proposed development would initially involve recovering and reprocessing historical well logs, test data and seismic information before commissioning a new independent resource assessment.

Robinson also plans to acquire additional 2D seismic and drill the Triceratops-4 and Triceratops-5 wells, subject to the results of its technical evaluation. The company is targeting potential production of up to 50 MMcf/d of gas and associated condensate.

A previous independent assessment by GLJ Petroleum Consultants estimated gross unrisked best-estimate contingent resources of about 352 billion cubic feet equivalent, or 58.7 million barrels of oil equivalent, as at December 2015.

Robinson stressed that the estimate is historical and should not be treated as a current resource estimate. The company said it has not independently verified the underlying data and intends to commission a new evaluation.

The company said the Triceratops project could provide a potential route to production ahead of its broader plans for a Western Province gas pipeline and LNG export system.

Executive chairman Cam Bailey said the discovery had already demonstrated gas flow from three wells and was located on the same trend as the fields supplying Papua LNG.

“Our first priority is to rebuild the technical record and put a current independent evaluation behind the asset,” Bailey said.

The proposed PRL 68 remains subject to Robinson satisfying the conditions of the grant offer, including the formal grant of the licence. The company said development timing would also depend on financing, regulatory approvals, technical results and securing access to existing Papua LNG infrastructure.

The Office of Workers’ Compensation (OWC) has taken a  major step in its digital transformation, signing a contract with NiuPay Limited to design, build and  support the new OWC Website Development Platform. The platform will give injured workers,  their dependants, employers, insurers and insurance brokers access to OWC’s information and  services 24 hours a day. 

The contract was signed at OWC’s offices in Port Moresby on 2 October 2026 by Chief  Commissioner Mr Martin Pala, and NiuPay Business Development Manager Ms Kristina  Kekedo, following a competitive tender. NiuPay was among three shortlisted bidders, and its  technical proposal ranked highest in OWC’s evaluation. 

The project supports OWC’s drive to align its services with the Digital Government Act 2022 and  the digital government agenda of the Department of Information and Communications  Technology (DICT). OWC’s evaluation panel found NiuPay’s proposal fully aligned with the Act,  DICT’s Government Cloud Policy 2023 and the DICT Government Website Standards 2023, the  frameworks that guide how public bodies deliver secure, interoperable services online. 

“We want an electronic front desk that gives our clients and stakeholders better access to our  services,” said Chief Commissioner Pala. “Information should be available 24 hours a day and  easy to use for people at every level of computer literacy, so the man on the street can find us,  understand our services and use them.” 

Established under the Workers’ Compensation Act 1978, OWC is a statutory office of the  Department of Labour and Industrial Relations. It administers compensation claims for workplace  injuries and deaths, and enforces compulsory workers’ compensation insurance across Papua  New Guinea. The new platform builds on OWC’s earlier move to online claims lodgement, with a  modern, user-friendly design and a secure link to OWC’s internal processing system, so clients  can follow the progress of their claims and officers can track cases. 

In line with DICT’s Government Cloud Policy, the platform will run on AWS, one of DICT’s  approved government cloud providers, across two availability zones for resilience. OWC will keep  full ownership of the cloud environment, the encryption keys and the source code from day one,  and NiuPay will provide 24/7 monitoring and support for three years. 

“OWC supports workers and their families at some of the most difficult moments in their lives,  and we take seriously the responsibility of building the platform they will rely on,” said Ms Kekedo.  “We thank Chief Commissioner Pala, Commissioner Kolias and the OWC team for their trust,  and we look forward to working alongside them to deliver a service every Papua New Guinean  can use with confidence.”

Work on the project began on Monday 5 October. A Port Moresby-based NiuPay team is  delivering it: Project Delivery Manager Mr Alistairs Dirua and Junior UI/UX Engineer Mr Julian  Togel, with engineering support from NiuPay’s senior and executive teams. 

For Papua New Guinea’s petroleum and energy sector, digital transformation is no longer simply about putting existing processes online.

The bigger challenge is building digital systems that can operate securely across complex organizations, connect fragmented data, support field operations, withstand demanding infrastructure conditions and remain reliable long after they go live.

That is where NiuPay Limited sees an opportunity.

The Papua New Guinean technology company designs, builds, deploys and supports digital platforms for organizations where security, interoperability, auditability and long-term operability are critical. Its delivery experience spans workflow automation, data integration, GIS, secure digital operations, cloud infrastructure and AI-enabled processing across PNG and the wider Pacific.

For an industry built around long-life assets, remote operations and highly regulated activities, those capabilities have direct relevance.

A petroleum project may involve information moving between field operations, corporate systems, regulators, contractors, communities and government agencies. Land access, spatial data, approvals, payments, reporting, identity and compliance can all depend on systems that need to work together.

The question, therefore, is not simply whether a company can digitize a process. It is whether the technology can work in the operating environment and continue to work as that environment evolves.

That question sits at the center of NiuPay's approach to what it calls practical modernization.

From digitizing transactions to modernizing operations

NiuPay's origins were in solving a straightforward problem: making payments and government transactions less dependent on paper-heavy processes and manual work.

Founded in PNG in 2018, the company has since expanded beyond payments into the design, build, deployment and long-term support of secure digital platforms.

Its operating model combines technical architecture, software engineering, cloud and infrastructure capability, security and governance controls, delivery management and ongoing support.

That evolution is important for industries such as petroleum and energy.

Large-scale projects rarely operate from a clean technology slate. Systems accumulate over time, data is held in different environments, workflows become dependent on manual coordination and different parts of an organization can end up using systems that do not communicate effectively.

Replacing everything at once is not always practical. NiuPay instead advocates a staged, evidence-led approach: understand the existing environment, map workflows and dependencies, establish the architecture and controls, then build and validate in manageable increments.

The prospectus describes the methodology as discovery first, architecture before build, controlled enhancement over disruption, operational validation before scale and capability transfer as a core deliverable.

For resource companies operating critical systems, that can mean modernizing without unnecessarily disrupting the operations those systems support.

Connecting the systems behind the asset

Interoperability is one of the less visible challenges of digital transformation — but potentially one of the most consequential.

A company can have sophisticated individual applications and still struggle to obtain a reliable view of its operations if information remains trapped in disconnected systems.

NiuPay's data integration and harmonization capability is designed around migration, data-quality improvement, system interfaces, reporting structures and controlled movement of information across fragmented environments.

For petroleum and energy companies, the application is potentially broad. Operational data, financial information, regulatory records, project documentation and stakeholder information can all sit in different systems. Connecting them can improve reporting, reduce duplication and provide decision-makers with more consistent information.

The objective is not integration for its own sake. It is to create a digital environment in which information can move securely between the systems and people that need it.

GIS brings the physical and digital worlds together

Few sectors are as dependent on geography as petroleum, energy and resources. Projects exist across physical landscapes. Land access, infrastructure corridors, environmental considerations, project boundaries and stakeholder interests all have a spatial dimension.

That makes geospatial information more than a mapping function.

NiuPay's GIS capability covers spatially enabled systems, geospatial data services, business-to-spatial integration, mapping workflows and field-level location capture. Its work with PNG's Department of Lands and Physical Planning provides a reference point.

NiuPay supports national-scale land administration functionality across records, billing, receipting and customer management, while its geospatial environment supports spatial dataset management, web-map visualization, WMS/WFS services and QGIS integration.

For the energy sector, the relevance lies in connecting business information with the physical environment in which projects operate. That can provide a foundation for more integrated approaches to land, project footprints, access, infrastructure and other location-dependent information. The value of GIS, in other words, is not simply a better map. It is making spatial information part of the operational system.

Digital systems that work beyond the office

One of the defining challenges for PNG's energy industry is geography. Operations can extend far from major population centers, where connectivity and infrastructure cannot always be assumed. That changes the requirements for digital platforms.

A system designed exclusively around continuous connectivity may struggle when it reaches the field.

NiuPay's Pacific delivery experience provides a practical reference point. During the 2023 Pacific Games border operations in the Solomon Islands, it built an offline-capable system with sync-when-available functionality and on-device AI/ML for passport and travel-document reading.

The underlying design principle has wider relevance. Field applications can continue operating locally and synchronize with central systems when connectivity becomes available.

For organizations working across remote locations, that approach can help reduce the dependence of critical workflows on uninterrupted network access.

The issue is not necessarily waiting for infrastructure to become perfect. It is designing technology that accounts for the infrastructure that exists today.

Making financial flows more transparent

NiuPay's original payments capability remains an important part of its proposition.

In partnership with Kina Bank, the company operates automated revenue-collection and reconciliation platforms for PNG public-sector clients, covering data ingestion, payment matching, crediting, receipting and reporting for EFT and card payments. The prospectus says the system typically matches around 99% of EFT payments automatically, while organizations see more than a 90% reduction in reconciliation costs.

For a resource economy, the underlying capability has obvious relevance.

Petroleum and energy projects involve financial relationships among companies, governments, provinces, communities and other stakeholders.

The ability to move and reconcile payments accurately, while maintaining an auditable record, can become particularly important where multiple parties are involved. The broader lesson is that automation should not be measured by how much manual work it eliminates.

Its value lies in better data, stronger auditability and greater visibility over financial processes.

AI with governance built in

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of enterprise technology strategies, but NiuPay's prospectus takes a use-case-driven approach.

Its AI capability includes computer vision, large language models, edge AI/ML and data-fusion techniques, but the company says these are applied where the use case, governance and infrastructure fit.

That distinction is particularly relevant to regulated industries.

The question for an energy company should not simply be where AI can be introduced.

It should be where AI can produce a measurable operational benefit while maintaining appropriate controls over data, access, decision-making and auditability. NiuPay's work for PNG Immigration provides an example.

Its Analysis Engine processes passports, identity documents, photographs, letters and supporting forms using computer vision and large language models in a controlled cloud environment. Lower-risk applications can be processed automatically, with officers intervening by exception.

The same principle can inform enterprise AI adoption more broadly: start with the workflow, establish the controls and then determine where automation adds value.

Security is part of the operating model

For petroleum and energy companies, cybersecurity cannot be treated as an IT issue sitting separately from operations. Digital platforms increasingly support processes that are integral to business continuity.

NiuPay's security model is built around least-privilege access, multifactor authentication for privileged users, encryption in transit and at rest, audit logging and environment hardening. Its cloud operations incorporate client-specific compliance requirements, backup and disaster recovery, while identity controls include role-based and attribute-based access and identity federation where appropriate.

The emphasis is equally important after deployment.

NiuPay's model includes monitoring, backup verification, training, handover and sustained operational support. That reflects a central proposition in the company's prospectus: a digital system is not finished simply because it has gone live.

It has to be operated, maintained, understood and supported. For industries with long project cycles, that distinction matters.

Cloud infrastructure without vendor lock-in

NiuPay operates production environments on Amazon Web Services in the Sydney region, aligned with PNG Government Leased Cloud requirements and with familiarity with controls expected of regulated-sector hosting in PNG.

Its prospectus also describes a vendor-informed but not vendor-locked approach to cloud and infrastructure operations.

That is significant as organizations consider how to modernize their technology estates without creating new dependencies that could constrain future choices.

The objective is to provide secure hosting, environment management, monitoring, performance, resilience and supportability while retaining the ability to evolve the underlying technology environment.

Built to be supported

For NiuPay, the defining measure of a successful technology project is not necessarily how sophisticated it looks when it launches.

It is whether the organization can continue using it effectively afterward. That philosophy is embedded in the company's operating model.

NiuPay describes itself as locally grounded, security-first, focused on practical modernization and structured for long-term support. Its model includes training, enhancement and managed operational support after go-live.

That is particularly relevant to PNG, where technology projects can face the combined pressures of infrastructure constraints, skills availability, changing operational requirements and the need to maintain services while systems evolve.

The company therefore treats capability transfer as part of delivery.

Users and technical counterparts are trained, the environment is documented and handover is supported so clients can operate and extend the platform with greater confidence.

A digital foundation for PNG's energy future

PNG's petroleum and energy industries are entering an environment in which digital capability will increasingly intersect with physical infrastructure.

Projects will continue to depend on reliable information, connected workflows, secure systems and accurate reporting. The challenge will be connecting those pieces.

NiuPay's six capability areas — workflow modernization, data integration, GIS, security and identity, cloud infrastructure, and AI-enabled processing and analytics — are presented as a single operating model rather than isolated technology services.

That integration is important. A field application may need to operate when connectivity is limited. A land-access process may depend on geospatial information. A payment workflow may require data from multiple systems. An AI application may depend on properly structured and governed information.

These are not separate technology problems. They are parts of the same digital operating environment.

For NiuPay, practical modernization means understanding that environment before attempting to change it.

For PNG's petroleum and energy sector, the opportunity is to build digital infrastructure that is not simply modern when it is deployed, but secure, interoperable, auditable and supportable throughout the life of the operation.

That is ultimately what NiuPay's "built to last" proposition means. Not technology for technology's sake. But digital systems designed around how PNG organizations actually operate — and built to keep operating as their needs change.

 

Learn more about NiuPay’s digital solutions and how they can help your organization:
www.niupay.com.pg | +675 323 9111 | enterprise@niupay.com.pg

From family homes to staff accommodation and larger housing developments, PNGFP NiuHomes provides engineered kit-building solutions designed for Papua New Guinea and the wider South Pacific.

Building a home in Papua New Guinea presents challenges rarely encountered in more developed markets. Materials may need to travel considerable distances, building sites can be remote, and high humidity, heavy rainfall and termites all place additional demands on the finished structure.

PNGFP NiuHomes has developed its range with these realities in mind.

Manufactured in Papua New Guinea using locally grown plantation pine, NiuHomes combines proven timber construction with the efficiency of a prefabricated kit-building system. Every design is engineered to provide a practical, cost-effective building solution that can be transported throughout PNG and across the South Pacific.

Prefabrication brings greater consistency and control to the building process. Components are manufactured and prepared before leaving PNGFP’s facilities, reducing the amount of cutting and modification required on site. This can help simplify construction, reduce material waste and support more predictable project planning.

It also makes NiuHomes particularly well suited to projects outside major urban centres. The building components are consolidated into a complete kit and can be shipped to ports around the country, ready for transport to the project location. Whether the requirement is for an individual family home or a larger development, the same system provides an efficient foundation for construction.

NiuHomes is PNG’s only range of pressure-treated timber kit homes, providing protection against fungal decay and termite attack. This is an important distinction in a market where lower-cost, untreated hardwood is widely used for construction. Although hardwood is often assumed to be naturally durable, untreated hardwood does not provide the same protection against termites and rotting as pressure-treated timber. NiuHomes’ pressure-treated plantation pine provides consistent, built-in protection specifically suited to PNG’s tropical conditions.

The timber used in NiuHomes buildings comes from PNGFP’s sustainably managed pine plantations in Bulolo. It is processed locally through PNGFP’s own manufacturing facilities, which are powered by renewable hydroelectricity generated by the company’s hydro power stations. PNGFP’s engineered wood products are also independently certified to recognised quality and responsible forestry standards.

For customers, this means choosing a building system that supports Papua New Guinean manufacturing, employment and resource development while delivering a product made specifically for regional conditions.

The NiuHomes range offers designs for different lifestyles, locations and budgets. Contemporary homes such as the Pacifica provide modern architectural appeal and

generous family living spaces. Residential designs such as the Bikman offer the warmth and character of a traditional timber home, while practical Baset and Suburban designs provide efficient solutions for families, employers and organisations.

Plans can also be adapted to suit different site requirements and project needs. This versatility has enabled NiuHomes buildings to be supplied for residential, commercial, institutional and community applications throughout Papua New Guinea.

Behind every NiuHomes kit is the experience and capability of PNG Forest Products. With an established history of timber processing, engineered wood production and building supply, PNGFP provides customers with the reassurance of dealing with a Papua New Guinean company that understands the conditions in which its buildings will be transported, constructed and lived in.

For homeowners, developers and organisations planning their next building project, NiuHomes offers more than a set of materials. It provides a complete, engineered building solution combining local manufacture, efficient delivery and long-term durability.

Made in PNG and built for the South Pacific, NiuHomes is ready to go wherever the next home is needed.

Papua New Guinea’s maritime future depends not only on vessels and infrastructure, but also on strong local businesses that support the industry. Technical services, equipment support and operational coordination will be vital to a more resilient and efficient maritime economy. JJ Ship Equip Agencies Ltd (JJSEA) is positioning itself as a key local partner in that effort. 

For JJSEA, local capability is practical. “We see local capability as the ability to solve real maritime problems inside Papua New Guinea with local knowledge, local people, local responsiveness and stronger in-country support systems,” the company says.  

This means more than maintaining a market presence: it requires reducing reliance on slow external processes through dependable supplier access, effective coordination, technical expertise and consistent follow-through. For the wider industry, stronger local capability brings greater continuity, less downtime and improved resilience. 

This view has shaped JJSEA’s evolution from a marine supplier into an integrated support provider tailored to PNG’s needs. “Operators do not only need items delivered; they need help with urgency, technical fit, sourcing complexity, compliance expectations and operational coordination,” the company explains.  

JJSEA has therefore invested in supplier relationships, practical expertise and service capability, positioning itself as a problem-solving partner rather than a transactional vendor. 

Shipping companies in Papua New Guinea face long distances, remote routes, unpredictable weather, infrastructure constraints and lengthy procurement lead times. Reliance on foreign sourcing and rising compliance expectations add further pressure. JJSEA responds by providing a reliable local point of contact.  

“We give clients a practical local point of contact that can help source equipment, coordinate support, advise on urgency, manage follow-up and keep communication moving when time matters,” the company says. Reducing operational friction is central to the value it provides. 

Coordination is a defining feature of JJSEA’s approach. Rather than treating supply as a standalone transaction, the company considers the wider operational context, including vessel schedules, locations and technical requirements.  

“In many cases we act as a coordination point — aligning suppliers, technical parties, logistics and delivery timing so the operator can resolve the issue with less disruption,” it notes. This approach also supports forward planning for inspections, maintenance and known bottlenecks. In PNG, where procurement alone rarely resolves operational challenges, coordination and follow-through are essential. 

As the maritime sector modernises, operators are placing greater emphasis on product quality, documentation, traceability, technical reliability and professional service. JJSEA observes “stronger demand for product quality, better documentation, more reliable technical support, greater traceability, and more professional operational follow-up.”  

In response, it is tightening supplier discipline, improving documentation and expanding its capacity to handle more complex technical requirements. The company sees this shift as positive: modernisation depends not only on vessels, but also on the quality of the support ecosystem around them. 

Established in 2015, JJSEA has expanded across Lae, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Madang, Kimbe and Buka. It has also built relationships with operators including Consort Express, Pacific Towing, Steamships, Swire, P&O Maritime and Lutheran Shipping. Although it does not disclose financial metrics, its growth is evident in its wider market reach, repeat business and rising demand for dependable local support. 

Partnerships are central to building this capability. JJSEA operates within an ecosystem of vessel operators, regulators, ports, classification societies, technical providers and international suppliers.  

“No single business can do that alone,” the company says, underscoring the need for collaboration. It works with stakeholders, including the National Maritime Safety Authority and technical partners, to support client outcomes and wider industry development. 

Over the next three to five years, JJSEA plans to deepen and strengthen its services. Its priorities include expanding technical capability, improving inventory planning, investing in people and systems, and increasing collaboration with credible partners. The goal is to build “a more capable local maritime support platform” for commercial operators and coastal shipping across Papua New Guinea. 

As the sector evolves, capable local businesses will become increasingly important. JJSEA’s trajectory reflects a broader shift towards stronger domestic solutions, higher standards and more resilient support systems.  

By combining local knowledge with practical service, the company is helping build a more dependable and self-sustaining maritime sector that supports economic activity and national connectivity. 

Ok Tedi Mining Limited (Ok Tedi) has committed K50 million to support drought relief and recovery efforts across Papua New Guinea, reinforcing the National Government’s response to the current El Niño-induced drought crisis.

The commitment comes amid growing concerns over worsening drought conditions, water shortages, food insecurity, and impacts on livelihoods across many parts of the country.

The National Weather Service has identified a number of provinces as experiencing critical, severe, or moderate drought conditions. Government estimates and assessments by development partners indicate that millions of Papua New Guineans could be affected if conditions persist or worsen.

Ok Tedi Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kedi Ilimbit said the company was committed to supporting national response efforts while recognising that the Government remains responsible for leading the country’s drought response.

“Ok Tedi stands with the people of Papua New Guinea during this difficult period. Our contribution is intended to strengthen existing Government and humanitarian initiatives and ensure assistance reaches communities most affected by the drought,” Mr Ilimbit said.

Ok Tedi will work closely with the National Disaster Centre, provincial disaster offices, and other response partners to identify areas where support can deliver the greatest impact.

Rather than providing direct cash assistance, the programme will focus on practical and sustainable interventions, including logistics support, water security projects, agricultural recovery initiatives, and community resilience activities.

“We are committed to ensuring that all assistance is delivered transparently, responsibly, and in a manner that complements ongoing national efforts,” Mr Ilimbit said.

Further details on programme implementation will be announced following consultations with Government agencies, humanitarian organisations, and other stakeholders.

Trukai Industries has renewed its sponsorship of the Papua New Guinea Game Fishing Association for another four years, reinforcing its support for sports tourism and community engagement.

The company presented a K50,000 cheque to the Game Fishing Committee for this year’s tournament.

Trukai said the four-year commitment reflects its continued support for anglers, organisers, and the wider community involved in the event.

The company also acknowledged the Game Fishing Committee for granting Trukai exclusive rights to showcase Trukai Rice and Trukai Flour during the tournament.

Trukai said the partnership would provide an opportunity to promote Papua New Guinea’s waters and support sports tourism.

The next Game Fishing Tournament will be held in Lae, the home of Trukai Industries.

The K50,000 cheque was presented to Scott Randal, President of the Lae Game Fishing Club.

Trukai said it looked forward to continuing the partnership over the next four years and supporting the growth of the tournament.

Trukai Industries has presented K133,100 to the Morobe Provincial Agriculture Show (MPAS), renewing its support for an event it has backed for 40 years.

The cheque was presented to MPAS President Hans Merl at the Lae Showgrounds, marking another year of Trukai’s longstanding partnership with the show.

The Morobe Provincial Agriculture Show provides a platform for the agricultural community to come together to showcase produce, livestock, farming activities, businesses, and other developments within the sector.

For Trukai, the partnership is a natural fit given agriculture’s importance to the company’s business and its connection with farmers and communities across Papua New Guinea.

Four decades of support represents more than a sponsorship relationship. It reflects a shared history between Trukai and the agricultural community in Morobe, with generations of people having participated in and supported the show over the years.

Trukai said it was proud to have been part of the MPAS journey and the growth of an event that continues to bring people together around agriculture.

The company said it hopes to continue its relationship with MPAS for many years to come, working closely with partners and providing support where possible.

“Forty years of support is something we are proud of. The Morobe Provincial Agriculture Show brings together the people, businesses and communities that are important to agriculture, making our partnership a natural fit,” said Heral Buksh, Trukai Industries National Sales Manager.

As the show continues to evolve, Trukai’s longstanding involvement demonstrates the value of sustained partnerships between businesses and community institutions, particularly those supporting agriculture and the people who depend on it.