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expects lower price points to turbocharge the adoption of mobile devices and usage of social platforms.

While the 4G network of PNG’s largest telco Digital Pacific now reaches 71 per cent of the population, Vodafone PNG is on target to cover all provinces with its own tower network by June 2023.

Greater smartphone uptake is expected to reduce reliance of PNG’s remote communities on cash. Early in 2020, Digicel introduced Cell Moni, which helps remote villagers who’ve never had a bank account to withdraw, deposit and transfer money.

Vodafone PNG is already talking about the future rollout of mobile money – a surrogate bank for anyone with a smartphone.

The e-commerce wave

Local entrepreneur James Inglis, CEO of fintech company Niupay, is helping develop the public sector’s e-government ecosystem. Included within Nuipay’s recent e-government initiatives are the Immigration and Citizenship Authority’s online visa platform, and a tax payment ecosystem.

Inglis is currently working on making e-government systems available to people in rural communities by kiosk infrastructure and utilising drones for ‘lastmile’ delivery.

“The desire across PNG to embrace innovation and leapfrog obstructive methods has led to a lot more online services, the next big wave is e-commerce,” says Inglis.

Adaptation PNG-style

Young entrepreneurial Papua New Guineans are also transforming old ways.

One exciting example is PGO!, a tech company responsible for developing PNG’s homegrown version of DoorDash, which tracks takeaway orders from place of purchase to your front door in real time.

Based on the success of PGO!, founder and non-executive director, Andrew Kitum, has branched out into the on-demand delivery of non-food vendors, like grocery and clothing boutiques, and is looking to add more staples people consume daily.