In a landmark boost to Fiji’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs, and Communications, Hon. Manoa Kamikamica, officially launched the Hummingbird META 2025 initiative on Friday at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.
The launch marks a significant step in accelerating innovation, financial inclusion, and economic empowerment across Fiji’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the unveiling of two transformative platforms: the Growth Starter System PLUS+, a streamlined platform offering MSMEs diagnostic business tools, access to capital, and growth strategies.
The second platform, the Hummingbird Certified Mentor Program, is a first-of-its-kind national mentorship network linking emerging entrepreneurship with experienced industry leaders.
“We are not just launching a programme; we are opening a bold new chapter to drive and strengthen entrepreneurship in Fiji,” DPM Kamikamica said in his keynote address. “These initiatives speak to our national mission of building a Fiji where innovation thrives and no one is left behind.”
According to the Asian Development Bank 2024 SME monitor, MSMEs comprise 98.7% of all registered businesses and contribute over 64% of national employment.
As Fiji emerges from the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has laid down a determined goal to raise the sector's contribution to GDP from 18% to between 30% and 40 %.
“From market vendors in Labasa to app developers in Suva, MSMEs are the heartbeat of our economy,” said DPM Kamikamica. “We’re focused on making it easier to start and grow a business in Fiji through legal reforms, access to finance, and real-world mentorship.”
The Hummingbird Certified Mentor Programme marks a new era in business mentorship, pairing emerging entrepreneurs with seasoned leaders across industries. This approach is rooted in the understanding that knowledge transfer and confidence building are key to entrepreneurial success.
“This is how we build the next generation of change makers,” DPM Kamikamica noted. “We must equip future entrepreneurs with the confidence and clarity to lead Fiji forward.”
In addition, a preview of the Hummingbird Crowdfunding Masterclass was revealed, aligned with the recently enacted Access to Business Funding Act. The masterclass will equip MSMEs with the tools to tap into non-traditional capital sources such as peer-to-peer lending, donor funding, and diaspora contributions with support from the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Asian Development Bank.
Hummingbird Meta is grounded in equity and inclusivity, designed to reach rural entrepreneurs, women-led cooperatives, youth startups and vulnerable communities across the country.
“We want every Fijian with a dream to have access to these tools, whether in Savusavu, Nabouwalu, Vunisea or the highlands of Namosi,” said the Deputy Prime Minister. “This is how we build resilience, decentralise economic opportunity, and foster a truly inclusive economy.”
The launch complements ongoing government reforms to modernise the Co-operative Act, reduce bureaucratic red tape, and streamline business registration processes; in doing so, it also supports Fiji’s broader goals of expanding digital services, green enterprises, food security, and export-ready industries.
MSMEs in Fiji span across key sectors including includingagriculture, fisheries, retail, manufacturing, tourism, services, and digital innovation, contributing not only to economic output but also to tosocial cohesion and rural development. In villages, settlements, and peri-urban areas, small businesses are lifelines, creating jobs, circulating income, and supporting community livelihoods.