Papua New Guinea

PSDI is working with the Government of Papua New Guinea to help make PNG a safer, more productive, easier, and more inclusive place to do business.

PSDI is working with the Government of Papua New Guinea to:

  • Increase the availability of private sector credit by supporting the utilization of the secured transactions framework established in 2015, and advising on the introduction of alternative capital-raising platforms;

  • Promote entrepreneurship and foreign direct investment, particularly through providing ongoing assistance and advice to PNG’s Investment Promotion Authority;

  • Improve the efficiency and transparency of state-owned enterprises, by enabling public-private partnership transactions, developing a Community Service Obligation Policy for SOEs, and including PNG in PSDI’s Finding Balance SOE benchmarking studies;

  • Develop the technical and cross-cutting capacity of PNG’s Independent Consumer and Competition Commission;

  • Increase access to finance and financial services, by supporting the development of MiCash (a mobile phone linked bank account) and funding the design of the Microfinance Expansion Project (MEP); and

  • Remove barriers to women’s participation in the formal economy through pilot initiatives helping businesswomen enter the formal economy and helping women professionals reach leadership positions.

Resources and Spending

PSDI’s activities in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have rapidly expanded since 2015 due to an additional $8.08 million in funding provided for Phase III by the Government of Australia. Similar additional funding for PNG has been again committed by the Government of Australia for PSDI Phase IV. These funds are being used to support expanded requests from the Government of Papua New Guinea to improve the enabling business environment across all of PSDI’s work areas: financing growth, business law reform, competition and consumer protection, further support for reforming state-owned enterprises (SOEs), implementing the public-private partnership (PPP) framework, and mainstreaming economic empowerment of women into PSDI projects.

A PSDI coordinator has been based at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Papua New Guinea Resident Mission since January 2010. The expansion of PSDI’s program in PNG has necessitated the engagement of an additional coordinator since November 2016. The coordinators promote effective private sector development policies and practices through dialogue with the government and other stakeholders and support the implementation of PSDI initiatives.

PNG2007 2019 web

On this website, $ refers to US dollars unless otherwise stated.

For detailed information on PSDI activities in Papua new Guinea, download the 2022 PSDI Country Overview here.

Papua New Guinea at a glance

Secured transactions framework

PNG's PSDI-supported Personal Property Securities Registry was activated in May 2016, making it easier for lenders to extend credit secured against movable assets, such as vehicles, inventories, or sales contracts.

27,000 securities registered

As of end-2019, more than 27,000 security interests over movable assets to be used as collateral for loans have been registered in the Papua New Guinea using the PSDI-supported secured transactions framework.

Agricultural Value Chain Loan

launched by MiBank, with PSDI support, in May 2019. Its initial application is for cocoa financing in East New Britain, and other applications are being assessed.

Consumer and Competition Framework

review completed, and ongoing support provided to the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission.

Private sector assessment

Building a Dynamic Pacific Economy: Strengthening the Private Sector in Papua New Guinea, published in April 2015

Public-Private Partnerships Act

gazetted in January 2018, enabled the creation of a PPP program and requires PPP transactions to be developed transparently and predictably.
Latest News
18 September 2023
Leadership commitment is driving change—PSDI Leadership Matters panel Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea, almost 100 business, government, and civil society figures gathered in Port Moresby on 6 April 2022 for a Women in Leadership Breakfast event, co-hosted by PSDI, the PNG Institute of Directors (PNGID), and the PNG Business Coalition for Women (BCFW). Watch the video.

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25 July 2023
Implementation of key SOE reforms in PNG will improve commercial performance — ADB report

The passage of significant reforms in PNG will empower Kumul Consolidated Holdings to effectively monitor SOEs and promote better transparency and accountability, according to new ADB PSDI report Finding Balance 2023.

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27 March 2023
PSDI supports development of new 10-year PNG Capital Markets Development Strategy

PSDI has supported the Securities Commission of Papua New Guinea to develop a new 10-year Capital Markets Development Strategy, outlining how the country can attract investment to grow its economy and create jobs.

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13 March 2023
PSDI travels to Bougainville for Women in Business consultations

PSDI experts have traveled to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea for consultations with women business owners and operators.

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1 March 2023
PSDI supports PNG Tourism Promotion Authority to develop new National Tourism Policy

PSDI has supported PNG's Tourism Promotion Authority with a series of regional consultations on the development of a new National Tourism Policy and Marketing Strategy.

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17 January 2023
Passage of PNG associations legislation to improve governance, transparency—PSDI

Papua New Guinea has passed the PSDI-supported Associations Incorporation Act 2023, helping the country's associations function in the best interests of their members.

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Key Publications
PSDI Annual Report FY2022
PSDI Annual Report FY2022
This report gives an overview of PSDI activities from July 2021 to June 2022.
PSDI Tourism Infographic Brochure
PSDI Tourism Infographic Brochure
This infographic brochure illustrates PSDI’s work and key achievements in the Pacific tourism sector.
Finding Balance 2023: Benchmarking Performance and Building Climate Resilience in Pacific State-Owned Enterprises
Finding Balance 2023: Benchmarking Performance and Building ...
This report reviews the performance of SOEs in nine Pacific island economies and looks at how policymakers can help state-owned power utilities address climate risk.
A Secure Retirement: Leveling the Playing Field for Women in the Pacific
A Secure Retirement: Leveling the Playing Field for Women in...
This publication proposes a series of priority reforms to address women’s disadvantage in accessing benefits from Pacific retirement funds.
PSDI Country Overviews 2022
PSDI Country Overviews 2022
What is PSDI doing in the Pacific? These fact sheets provide an overview of all PSDI activities at the country level to 2022.
Reopening Borders to Tourism in Pacific Island Countries: Key Lessons and Guidance
Reopening Borders to Tourism in Pacific Island Countries: Ke...
PSDI has launched a tourism reopening framework for Pacific island countries, providing critical policy guidance as international tourists return in the post-COVID-19 era.