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Papua New Guinea's Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru is traveling to Malaysia this week for k...
13/01/2026

Papua New Guinea's Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru is traveling to Malaysia this week for key discussions aimed at progressing the Papua New Guinea government's proposed acquisition of shares in Ramu Agri Industries (RAI).

The talks will focus on the State's interest in buying into RAI, currently linked to New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL), which is owned by SD Guthrie Berhad. Minister Maru will meet with the board and management of SD Guthrie to move the proposal forward.

“The strategic reason behind this acquisition is to expand RAI’s business to other areas in the country because land in Ramu is fully utilized with no room for expansion,” Minister Maru explained.

“We need to stop the importation of cattle and grow more sugar to replace over US$29 million worth of sugar that we import annually from mainly Thailand and Malaysia. We have the potential as a country to replace sugar imports, create thousands of new jobs in the sugar industry, and be a net exporter.”

Ramu Agri-Industries, PNG's main sugar producer, has been operating for 40 years but faces land constraints in the Ramu Valley. Expansion elsewhere could boost domestic production and cut reliance on imports.

While in Malaysia, the Minister will tour SD Guthrie Berhad's operations—one of the world's largest producers of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil. The visit includes their integrated plantation model, research and development, mechanization, smallholder support, biogas and sustainability programs, plus downstream refining and processing.

He will also engage with the Malaysia Palm Oil Board for exchanges on regulatory frameworks, research platforms, and technology that could benefit PNG's agriculture and palm oil sectors.

NBPOL has committed to providing an offer letter and valuation report on the proposed acquisition by January 21, 2026. Minister Maru stressed that the government will conduct its own independent valuation and full due diligence before making a final decision.

The Papua New Guinea government has officially opened the accounts for the 2026 fiscal year, unleashing the flow of fund...
13/01/2026

The Papua New Guinea government has officially opened the accounts for the 2026 fiscal year, unleashing the flow of funds under the country's largest-ever national budget of K30.9 billion.

Tabled in Parliament on November 25, 2025, by Treasurer Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey and passed after debate in early December, this record spending plan up K2.6 billion from 2025 sets the stage for the year ahead under the theme "Security with Growth."

The budget projects revenue of around K29.3 billion, leaving a slim deficit of just 1.1% of GDP, the lowest in over a decade, and continues the steady drop in debt-to-GDP from 48.4% last year toward 45.5% in 2026.

Prime Minister James Marape hailed it as a turning point, pointing to six straight years of non-resource growth above 4% and a path toward surplus by 2027, even as the major IMF support package winds down by year's end.​

With accounts now active, allocations are rolling out to priority areas. The biggest focus remains law and order: the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary gets about K581 million for recruitment, housing, logistics, and specialized units to tackle crime and rural instability. The Electoral Commission receives K50 million to gear up for the 2027 national elections, including training and roll improvements.​

Health and education see continued support, though the emphasis on security reflects public concerns and the political calendar. The budget builds on the fiscal repairs that have shrunk deficits from pandemic peaks of around 9% of GDP, bolstered by stronger domestic revenue collection and disciplined spending.

Photo: National Newspaper (PNG)

Papua New Guinea has entered the final stretch of its most substantial IMF support package in decades. By year-end, arou...
12/01/2026

Papua New Guinea has entered the final stretch of its most substantial IMF support package in decades.

By year-end, around US$1.2 billion in loans across three programs will conclude, shifting the onus onto the government to sustain fiscal discipline and reforms without external oversight.

The journey started in March 2023 with 38-month Extended Credit Facility and Extended Fund Facility arrangements totaling about US$918 million.

A Resilience and Sustainability Facility top-up in late 2024 added roughly US$265 million, making PNG the first Pacific island nation to access this climate-focused tool.

The funding came at a critical time: post-COVID recovery was uneven, foreign exchange shortages hampered trade, and budget deficits had ballooned.

The IMF support helped stabilize the economy. Growth is now tracking around 4.5% for 2025, buoyed by the Porgera gold mine restart and broader non-resource activity. Inflation remains contained, and reserves offer solid import cover.

Five successful reviews confirm generally satisfactory performance. In exchange for the funds, PNG tightened spending, boosted tax collection, streamlined state enterprise dividends, eased toward a more flexible kina exchange rate, and advanced governance efforts including anti-corruption and climate resilience.

The result indicates that deficits have fallen from ~9% of GDP in 2020 to around 2% today. FX pressures have eased, and the kina moves with less volatility but continues to slide down.

Yet questions loom as the program ends. The IMF isn't universally popular, and opposition voices already call for greater "economic sovereignty" ahead of the 2027 elections. While Prime Minister James Marape's administration has provided welcome stability:

Progress on anti-corruption has been slower, raising risks of FATF grey-listing if safeguards lag.

The deliberate wind-down timing, ending a year before elections offers breathing room. The package bought valuable time and enabled tough changes. The real test, whether these reforms become embedded or fade without the IMF's regular push.

PNG government PR and digital transformation teams struggle with tight budgets, rampant misinformation, fragmented messa...
08/01/2026

PNG government PR and digital transformation teams struggle with tight budgets, rampant misinformation, fragmented messaging across platforms, and inconsistent branding that erodes public trust and weakens visibility amid high-stakes economic priorities.

This hands-on 2-day workshop equips you with proven, low-cost tools from strategy to ex*****on that deliver immediate results: authentic brands that resonate, content that drives engagement, crisis playbooks that protect reputation, and analytics proving ROI to management. Walk away with your agency's custom 12-month content roadmap, Canva/Adobe templates, and real PNG case studies applied to your challenges.

Open to all government agencies, departments, provincial authorities, and select private organizations.

The topics to be covered include

1) Speakers covering series of topics on the impact on PR both on public and private sector, latest PR strategies and tools + expert lead panel discussion

2) Brand & Communications Strategy: Map your agency's unique voice and audience personas. Build a 12-month content calendar aligned with PNG's economic priorities (mining, digital infrastructure, public service delivery). Get frameworks used by top PNG agencies to unify messaging across departments.

3) Visual Identity Mastery: Logo design fundamentals, color psychology, and graphic principles. Hands-on creation of professional templates in Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud for banners, reports, infographics, and letterheads that work on print, web, and mobile. Fix inconsistent business unit branding overnight.

4) Content Creation (Photo/Video): Smartphone techniques for minister interviews, policy explainers, and facility stories. Learn lighting for PNG conditions, 5-minute Facebook Reel editing, drone/gimbal basics. No expensive gear needed. Produce 30-second clips that get 10x engagement.

5) Web & Social Copywriting: Formulas for headlines, posts, bios, and press releases that convert. Craft LinkedIn threads for executives, FB carousels for public campaigns, and stakeholder updates that spark shares/replies. Templates reduce writing time by 70%.

6) Analytics & Performance Tracking: Free setup: Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, LinkedIn dashboards. Track clicks, engagement, reach, and ROI on real campaigns. PNG case studies show how to pivot fast. Prove content value to budget holders.

7) Crisis Management Playbooks: Step-by-step response guides for scandals, policy backlash, rumors, and social media storms. Pre-written templates, holding statements, and escalation protocols tailored to PNG media landscape and government protocols.

Next Steps: Click the registration link here to register: https://forms.gle/vSVuFNSVmJrsxWEH7

Event hosted by PNGPR Week and supported by Magazine

The Barrick Mining Corporation and Newmont Corporation with operations in Papua New Guinea are amongst the top ranked gl...
05/01/2026

The Barrick Mining Corporation and Newmont Corporation with operations in Papua New Guinea are amongst the top ranked global gold stocks to watch in January 2026.

Gold futures climbed 2.89% to $4,454.60 per ounce today, hitting intraday highs near $4,468 amid robust global demand and geopolitical tensions, marking a 68% year-over-year gain from 2025 lows around $2,643.

The rally propelled gold mining stocks into the spotlight, with Barrick Gold and Newmont ranking among MarketBeat's top seven picks for high dollar trading volume alongside Freeport-McMoRan, Agnico Eagle Mines, First Majestic Silver, Hecla Mining, and Coeur Mining.
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Globally, central banks added over 1,000 tonnes of reserves in 2025, with China and India leading purchases while ETF inflows hit multi-year highs; COMEX futures volume exceeded 205,000 contracts today versus a 192,000 average, signaling sustained bullish momentum as the metal tests 2026 year-highs near $4,584.

In Asia-Pacific markets, spot gold traded at similar premiums on the Shanghai Gold Exchange, buoyed by RMB weakening and industrial demand, while Australian miners benefited from AUD gold prices above A$3,300 per ounce.
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Barrick maintains a 24.5% indirect stake in Papua New Guinea's Porgera gold mine through its 50% share of Porgera (Jersey) Limited with partner Zijin Mining; the high-altitude Enga Province operation restarted in 2023 post-government disputes, now ramping up open-pit and underground production despite tribal security challenges.

Newmont fully controls the Lihir mine, PNG's largest gold asset in a geothermal crater, processing refractory ore via pressure oxidation with a 30% output growth target by 2028.
​
The PNG's mines contributes to both firms' portfolios, offering Pacific exposure with copper byproducts amid Indonesia's Grasberg and Nevada joint ventures; investors eye their cost resilience as all-in sustaining costs hover below the surging spot price.

Gold equities like these often amplify metal price moves while incorporating operational metrics such as reserves and production efficiency.

Visa has launched a pilot partnership with Indian fintech Juspay Technologies to introduce agentic artificial intelligen...
01/01/2026

Visa has launched a pilot partnership with Indian fintech Juspay Technologies to introduce agentic artificial intelligence into business-to-business payments, aiming to overcome deep-rooted inefficiencies in Asia-Pacific's rapidly digitizing commercial landscape.
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Asia-Pacific hosts over 200 million companies and dominates global trade with 70 of the world's top 80 corridors passing through the region, making B2B payments from trade invoices to supplier payouts the lifeblood of its economy.

Statista projects B2B payment volumes to grow 14.7% annually through 2028, driven by a "consumerisation" trend where businesses demand faster, seamless transactions akin to personal payments.

Yet enterprises face persistent hurdles including fragmented systems, incompatible vendor formats, legacy workflows, and manual reconciliation that waste hours on spreadsheets and error-prone troubleshooting.
​
The Visa-Juspay collaboration deploys Visa's Intelligent Commerce platform, a suite of APIs and protocols built on its global infrastructure, alongside Juspay's agentic AI tools.

These autonomous AI agents interpret business intent, orchestrate workflows across systems, fetch invoices, trigger payments via virtual cards, fill forms, generate real-time reports, and reconcile transactions all within secure, rule-based frameworks enforcing compliance and human oversight.

Customizable human-in-the-loop controls govern every action, while Visa's Trusted Agent Protocol uses cryptographic signatures to verify legitimate agents, preventing fraud and ensuring interoperability on a global scale.
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Moowon Lee, the Visa executive championing the effort, detailed its implications in a company article, emphasizing the shift from rigid automation to true autonomy.

Practical use cases include agents instructed to "fetch and pay all approved invoices for this week," reducing days-long processes to minutes; summarize quarterly spend by category; or reconcile transactions and flag discrepancies, enhancing audit readiness.
​
Visa anticipates broader 2026 rollouts across Asia-Pacific, building on pilots with partners like Ant International and Microsoft, to capture a slice of the trillion-dollar payments ecosystem.

Photo: Visa

Port Moresby, PNG– National Banking Corporation (NBC) CEO Paul Thornton has stepped down due to medical reasons, signali...
22/12/2025

Port Moresby, PNG– National Banking Corporation (NBC) CEO Paul Thornton has stepped down due to medical reasons, signaling a leadership transition at the contraversal state-backed lender.

​​

Thornton brings over 47 years of banking experience in Papua New Guinea, pioneering electronic banking products at PNG Banking Corporation and introducing mobile phone banking.

He founded the country's first licensed microfinance institution in 1997, expanding rural access and growing active customers beyond 1 million through financial literacy, inclusion products for small businesses, personal loans, and first home buyers.

​

Under his leadership, NBC transformed from a National Development Bank microfinance arm into a fully licensed commercial bank in December 2024, launching electronic and mobile services while pursuing national expansion.

No successor has been named, leaving the board to manage operations following Thornton's recent growth plans interview and Prime Minister James Marape's commercial relaunch.

The bank faced harsh debates over government account transfers from Bank South Pacific, with Thornton noting capacity limits amid privatization.

Former Prime Minister Peter O'Neill decried the process as "secret and smelly," citing transparency issues on K100 million investments and FATF risks, while economists like Paul Barker cautioned against repeating past state bank collapses under political pressure.

The resignation fuels the rumor mill even further despite the the bank citing health reasons for the CEO's resignation.

Photo: National Banking Corporation

The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) has come out to clarify why there has been a de...
19/12/2025

The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA)

has come out to clarify why there has been a delay in issuing a license to Starlink despite the former Minister of ICT, Timothy Masiu, making a statement earlier inviting Starlink to PNG.

NICTA Chairman Brian Riches and Acting CEO Lume Polume clarified the situation in a press conference yesterday, addressing misinformation and outlining the regulatory standoff that's left users in the dark.

The regulator (NICTA) formally instructed SpaceX, parent company of Starlink Internet Services PNG Limited, on December 11 to cease all satellite internet services under the National Information and Communications Technology Act 2009.

Starlink currently holds no valid license, yet NICTA observed widespread importation, supply, installation, and use of terminals across the country in recent months.

Any person or entity engaging in these activities is in breach of the law and may be subject to enforcement action, including prosecution.

The delay stems from a March 2024 directive by the Ombudsman Commission, which prohibited NICTA from approving Starlink even after negotiations reached an advanced stage. NICTA has challenged this in court. The National Court heard arguments on September 5, 2025, with a decision still pending.

Until the Ombudsman lifts its order or the court rules in favor, NICTA remains legally bound, despite its readiness to license the service. Riches and Lume stressed the authority's support for "innovative, reliable, and affordable connectivity" within legal bounds.

SpaceX complied by disabling services nationwide on December 16, prompting user backlash including an online petition and over 160 direct responses to NICTA, highlighting illegal usage scale.

This comes amid PNG's connectivity crunch in rugged terrain, where Starlink promised game-changing access for businesses and remote communities.

EVENT: The Datec PNG Limited has opened its upgraded showroom in Port Moresby. Acting CEO Russell Tato shared the compan...
18/12/2025

EVENT: The Datec PNG Limited has opened its upgraded showroom in Port Moresby.

Acting CEO Russell Tato shared the companies vision in driving the digital transformation.

"Datec is on a journey to connect deeply with customers nationwide. The opening of the showroom was a show of the companies strategic intent to democratise access to technology and to position Datec as a a hub for technology and innovation, connectivity and customer empowerment. Datec is proud to be a key driver of digital transformation in Papua New Guinea"

Datec PNG a leading ICT provider and private-sector contributor to Papua New Guinea's digital transformation, delivering specialized infrastructure and services that align with national goals for connectivity, efficiency, and economic inclusion.​

Datec PNG offers robust data centers for secure data storage and processing, scalable cloud services to enable remote access and business agility, advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect against growing digital threats, and high-reliability connectivity options bridging urban hubs and rural communities.

Note: Email [email protected] for us to cover your business events

Port Moresby, PNG – Paul Sayer steps down as Chief Executive Officer of Nambawan Super Limited after eight years of extr...
17/12/2025

Port Moresby, PNG – Paul Sayer steps down as Chief Executive Officer of Nambawan Super Limited after eight years of extraordinary leadership that doubled the fund's assets under management from K6 billion to over K12 billion by 2025.

Serving PNG's 236,000 members, Sayer's tenure transformed the nation's largest superannuation fund into a resilient powerhouse amid unprecedented challenges.​

Sayer's legacy centers on strategic vision that delivered landmark milestones. He oversaw the opening of OPH, Rangeview development, Moki Business Park, and full acquisition of Paradise Foods Limited – diversifying beyond traditional assets into high-yield PNG opportunities.

Most notably, he executed the largest and most peaceful eviction in PNG history to repossess the valuable 9-Mile land, reclaiming critical real estate for future growth.​

These initiatives compounded contributions into K12 billion, achieving top-quartile crediting rates while balancing domestic and international portfolios. Membership grew to 235,888 by 2024, adding 7,569 new members that year alone.​

Sayer revolutionized operations with digital upgrades: enhanced mobile apps for real-time access, revamped websites, advanced call centers, and case management systems.

Branch relocations and expansions reached remote provinces, while remote working frameworks sustained services through COVID-19 lockdowns. Critically, he maintained a consistently low Management Expense Ratio, ensuring maximum value flowed to members rather than overheads.​

Leading "with both professionalism and heart," Sayer rolled out the Financial Literacy Program, empowering thousands with retirement planning education.

He championed policy advocacy for member protections, resolved pre-2009 unpaid public service contributions, and navigated Black Wednesday riots, economic shocks, and global crises without missing payouts.​ Housing advances, voluntary contributions, and discount programs expanded benefits under his watch.​

The Trustee Board expressed "profound gratitude" for Sayer's vision, dedication, and unwavering member-first commitment over eight years.

Photo Credit: Business Advantage PNG

15 organisations booked their seats in last 48 hours! This exceeded our expectations. 24 seats taken up by both governme...
17/12/2025

15 organisations booked their seats in last 48 hours! This exceeded our expectations.

24 seats taken up by both government agencies and few private sector organisatons. That means each organisation is sending either 1 or more partipants.

We have participants from New Ireland, Gulf, AROB.

Due to the high level of interest, we will close the registration soon and bring the event date forward to April 24-25, 2026.

We are limiting the number of agencies to less than 20 so that each agency gets tailored workshop materials. We will audit each organisons brand and content in order to address the specific challenges each agency face.

***About the Event

PNG government PR officers and digital transformation teams need hands-on tools to cut through noise, build trust, and deliver results amid tight budgets and high stakes. This workshop delivers actionable strategies for 2026 – from strategy to ex*****on.

Open to government agencies, departments, and interested private sector organizations. Limited spots – register early.

Key Topics

1) Brand & Communications Strategy: Map your agency's unique voice, audience personas, and 12-month content roadmap – align messaging with PNG's economic priorities

2) Visual Identity & Communications: Design compliant logos, color palettes, and templates in Canva – create professional banners, reports, and infographics that pop on any device.

3) Content Creation (Photography & Videography): Smartphone techniques for high-impact photos/videos – light PNG ministers for interviews, edit quick clips for Facebook, and produce policy explainers under 30 minutes.

4) Web & Social Media Copywriting: Write punchy headlines, posts, and bios that convert – formulas for LinkedIn threads, FB carousels, and press releases that get shares and replies.

5) Web & Social Analytics & Performance Tracking: Set up free Google Analytics and social media dashboards (Facebook Insights, LinkedIn Analytics) – track clicks, engagement, and ROI on campaigns, then optimize with real PNG case studies.

6) Crisis Management: Step-by-step playbooks for media storms – respond to scandals, policy backlash, or rumors in under 60 minutes, with holding statements and recovery narratives.

Next Steps

1) Register today via [link in comment section]
2) Share this post with all govt PROs and DTOs in your network

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The PNG Business is an innovative technology and business news media company, founded in 2020 around a simple idea: enable PNG entrepreneurs to tell their own stories. We are one of the fastest growing digital platform serving the multifaceted startups and established businesses through original content, video and unique digital experiences.

The platform has grown into a market leader in digital space, reaching over a million highly targeted entrepreneurial and the business community every month.

Our team consist of passionate, high-energy, and focused rock-star creative professional from branding, marketing, sales, growth hacking and business management. Our team executes with our values at the forefront of mind: Love of Community, Transparency and Communication, Collective Responsibility, and Fail Fast.

THE PNG BUSINESS, is continuously looking for new team members to help us continue to scale, cultivate our community, and advance our strategic direction.