Press Release No. : 24/2026
Date : 27 August 2026
Press Release No 24 – RBF and FDB Partner to Advance Fiji’s Innovation Ecosystem
CEO FDB Mr Filimone Waqabaca with Governor Ariff Ali during the signing of the partnership
Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) and the Fiji Development Bank (FDB) have signed a partnership agreement valued at $50,000 to support the continued growth of the Fiji Innovation Hub Year two programme.
The partnership was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industries, Commerce, Business Development and Public Enterprises, Honourable Manoa Kamikamica, during the launch of the Fiji Innovation Hub space at the RBF Building on Thursday, 13 August 2026.
The agreement reflects a shared commitment to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and financial inclusion by creating opportunities for locally driven solutions that address Fiji’s development priorities.
FDB’s sponsorship will support key initiatives under the Fiji Innovation Hub’s Year two Workplan, including the Certificate of Applied Innovation, Uni Hackathon, Activator Cohort two, Startup World Cup and the Fintech Festival. The funding will also help sustain ongoing incubation programmes, networking events, and ecosystem building activities that nurture Fiji’s growing startup community.
Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor, Mr Ariff Ali said collaboration is essential in building a resilient and inclusive innovation economy.
“Innovation is about creating opportunities for people and businesses to transform ideas into meaningful impact. Through the Fiji Innovation Hub, we are empowering local talent to solve local challenges, strengthen financial inclusion and contribute to Fiji’s long-term resilience. We welcome FDB’s support as a strong vote of confidence in our entrepreneurs and innovators.”
Fiji Development Bank Chief Executive Officer, Mr Filimone Waqabaca, said the partnership aligns with the Bank’s development mandate of supporting enterprise growth and economic opportunity.
“Innovation is one of the strongest drivers of productivity, competitiveness and sustainable growth. By supporting the Fiji Innovation Hub, we are investing in entrepreneurs, new ideas and practical solutions that can create lasting economic and social impact for Fiji. At Fiji Development Bank, we understand that access to finance is often one of the greatest challenges faced by entrepreneurs and innovators seeking to bring their ideas to life. While this partnership focuses on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, FDB is concurrently developing a financing solution designed to better support emerging businesses and innovators. We anticipate that participants within the Fiji Innovation Hub ecosystem will also be able to benefit from this product, providing them with greater opportunities to access funding and transform promising ideas into sustainable ventures.”
Established as a collaborative platform for innovation and entrepreneurship the Fiji Innovation Hub supports founders and innovators in developing inclusive, locally relevant solutions. The partnership between RBF and FDB further strengthens the ecosystem by combining institutional support with the creativity and ambition of Fiji’s emerging innovators.
Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to advancing inclusive growth, entrepreneurship and national development through stronger collaboration and investment in innovation.
FDB now joins a cohort of partners which include the UNCDF and UNDP Pacific Digital Economy Program sponsored by the European Union, the Government of Australia and the Government of New Zealand, the Ministry of Industries, Commerce, Business Development and Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Policing and Communications, Mastercard, HFC Bank, Fiji Airways and the implementing partner, Creative HQ.
RESERVE BANK OF FIJI
For further details, please contact: –
Communications Office
Telephone: (679) 3223 381 Email: info@rbf.gov.fj
Mr Mervin Singh – Manager Corporate Communications
Telephone: (679) 3223 229 Email: mervin@rbf.gov.fj