Three more Fiji-based lenders join WE-Fi Code to boost women-led finance
Three local financial institutions—Kontiki Finance Ltd, Home Finance Company (HFC) Pte Ltd, and the Sugar Cane Growers Fund—have joined the ranks of signatories pledging to the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (WE-Fi) Code. The commitment was formalised at a signing ceremony hosted by the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), marking another milestone in Fiji’s push for inclusive economic growth.
The WE-Fi Code is designed to dismantle cultural and systemic barriers that hinder women from accessing finance, enabling women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and contribute more fully to economic development. Fiji is among 24 pilot countries globally selected to work with WE-Fi implementing partners, a status that positions the country as a regional pioneer and opens doors to peer learning, capacity-building programs, improved policy frameworks, and stronger advocacy and dialogue to strengthen its financial inclusion efforts.
Eseta Nadakuitavuki, Fiji’s national Gender Champion and permanent secretary for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, described the WE-Fi Code as more than a framework; she called it a catalyst for systemic change. By aligning leadership, data, and action, she said, the Code empowers financial institutions, regulators, and development partners to close the gender finance gap and unlock billions in economic potential from women-led enterprises in developing countries.
Signatories to the Code commit to elevating leadership through gender champions, pursuing targeted policy actions to support women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (WMSMEs), and reporting annually on a core set of gender-disaggregated indicators. With the latest additions, Fiji now counts 11 signatories to the WE-Fi Code, including the Reserve Bank of Fiji, the Ministry of Women, the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications, the Fiji Development Bank, Merchant Finance Limited, Westpac Banking Corporation, South Pacific Business Development, South Pacific Stock Exchange, Kontiki Finance Ltd, Home Finance Company, and the Sugar Cane Growers Fund.
RBF Governor Ariff Ali emphasised the Code’s transformative potential, saying it can help Fiji and other Pacific Island nations dismantle barriers to women’s finance access, enabling women entrepreneurs to expand their ventures and contribute more substantially to the economy. He noted Fiji’s role as a regional leader in adopting WE-Fi and highlighted the broader benefits of the initiative for financial inclusion and development.
Commenting on the broader impact, Nadakuitavuki added that the Code represents a broad coalition of financial service providers, regulators, and development partners working together to advance gender-inclusive finance. She pointed to Fiji’s national agenda on gender equality and inclusive prosperity as a key driver for ongoing efforts in this area.
Signatories to the WE-Fi Code have pledged to designate gender focal points within their organisations, enhance access to financial services for women and women-led MSMEs, and share relevant data to track progress. As more institutions come on board, experts anticipate stronger training networks, increased credit access, and greater business growth opportunities for women across sectors.
For Fiji, the growing coalition signals continued momentum toward a more gender-inclusive financial system, with tangible steps toward expanding funding for women-led enterprises and supporting broader economic development.
Summary: Fiji expands its WE-Fi Code signatories to 11 institutions with Kontiki Finance, Home Finance Company, and the Sugar Cane Growers Fund joining the effort. The move reinforces Fiji’s regional leadership in advancing gender-inclusive finance, backed by ongoing data sharing, accountability, and policy action to support women-led MSMEs.
Additional comments and context:
– This development strengthens Fiji’s position as a regional pioneer in gender-inclusive finance and could serve as a model for other Pacific nations.
– Ongoing implementation will depend on robust data collection, transparent reporting, and concrete policy action to translate commitments into measurable outcomes for women entrepreneurs.
– The WE-Fi Code’s goal of unlocking significant economic potential aligns with broader efforts to boost inclusive growth and could drive job creation, productivity gains, and greater financial literacy across communities.
Positive outlook: With more financial institutions joining and committing to concrete actions and data sharing, women-led businesses in Fiji stand to gain easier access to capital, mentorship, and networks that support scalable growth, contributing to a stronger and more equitable economy.
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