06/05/2025
This morning, Webmedia South Pacific was honoured to attend Day One of the Validation Workshop for Fiji’s MSME Strategic Plan 2025–2030.
The session, officially opened by the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications, Mr. Shaheen Ali, focused on a theme that often goes unnoticed, but is foundational to progress: “Definitions and Data.”
You may ask, why definitions?
Because how we define our MSMEs, cooperatives, and youth- or women-led businesses determines how we support them. Right now, in Fiji, we face challenges due to inconsistent classification across agencies. This results in missed opportunities, fragmented data, and policies that don’t always reach the people who need them most.
That’s where the National MSME Database comes in, a major step forward that we at Webmedia South Pacific are proud to be developing. This centralised, inclusive, and real-time system will:
✔️ Provide clear visibility of MSME activity across Fiji
✔️ Track women- and youth-led business growth
✔️ Enable data-driven policy and funding decisions
✔️ Empower business owners through digital inclusion
Fiji’s MSMEs make up over 80% of formal businesses and employ 60% of the national workforce. But their contributions go beyond the numbers, they shape our communities, fuel local innovation, and hold the keys to sustainable economic growth.
What began today is not just a validation of a strategy, but a collective commitment to give our MSMEs the structure, visibility, and voice they deserve.
We encourage all entrepreneurs, cooperatives, and aspiring business owners to be part of this journey.
By formalising your business, providing accurate data, and embracing digital transformation, you are helping ministries, development partners, and support agencies better understand your needs and deliver the right support at the right time.
Every step you take brings us closer to a smarter, fairer, and more inclusive economy.
Let’s continue shaping a Fiji where no business is too small to be seen, and no voice is too soft to be heard.
Fiji Government
UNDP in Asia and the Pacific