Papua New Guinea has only four fully licensed Special Economic Zones, with several projects still awaiting regulatory clearance despite receiving in-principle approval, according to International Trade and Investment Minister Richard Maru.
The licensed zones are Paga Hill, Sea Park, Pacific Lime and Cement, and the PNG Trade Centre, Maru said, emphasizing that National Executive Council approvals do not confer SEZ status without formal licensing from the Special Economic Zones Authority.
Four additional projects — Portside Gardens, Lae Port, Caution Bay and the Finschhafen Integrated SEZ — have been approved in principle but remain unlicensed.
Maru said the authority will only grant licenses once developers meet strict criteria, including securing state land, ensuring access to essential utilities and demonstrating sufficient financing to develop and operate the zones.
He warned proponents of the pending projects against prematurely presenting themselves as SEZs or offering fiscal incentives to investors without regulatory approval.
“You cannot market yourselves as SEZs yet until you get a license,” Maru said, adding that he was disappointed that state-linked entities such as PNG Ports Corporation and Kumul Consolidated Holdings have yet to apply for licenses for the Lae Port and Portside Gardens projects despite reported investor interest.
The government is also processing six additional proposed SEZs at various stages, indicating a continuing pipeline under the national SEZ programme.
Maru pointed to international benchmarks to support the policy direction, citing the transformation of Shenzhen since its designation as a special economic zone in 1980.
He described Shenzhen as a case study in how SEZs can drive industrialisation, employment and sustained economic expansion, noting its evolution from a fishing village into a global technology hub.
“Despite all the critics against the government on the SEZ policy, we will push ahead because we see SEZs as the main employer and the main driver of sustained economic growth into the future,” he said.
Maru added that the government remains committed to advancing the SEZ framework as a cornerstone of Papua New Guinea’s long-term economic development strategy.
