FRCS celebrates MSME Day with 50 local winners and a strong push for women’s entrepreneurship
The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS) marked a key milestone for Western Division’s small businesses during its MSME Day celebrations, recognizing 50 local micro, small, and medium enterprises for notable progress in tax and customs compliance.
Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Shashi Kiran, lauded FRCS for its efforts to empower rural women through training in online tax systems, helping them navigate increasingly digital tax and customs procedures. FRCS data indicate a growing contribution from women in the micro- to medium-entrepreneur categories, with 28,570 active registered women taxpayers in the micro-entrepreneur group earning up to 50,000 per year, 3,110 in the small-entrepreneur tier with turnovers between 50,000 and 300,000 per year, and 357 in the medium-entrepreneur bracket with turnovers from 300,000 to 1.25 million per year.
Speaking at the event, Kiran emphasized that a significant number of women are actively contributing to Fiji’s economy through micro and medium-sized businesses. The FRCS has stepped up efforts to support rural women entrepreneurs by providing tax training and digital tools, reinforcing the government’s commitment to a diverse and resilient economy where MSMEs drive growth and help reduce poverty.
A graduate participant, Jiuwa Duri, expressed appreciation for the training, noting that the program opened her eyes to taxation and enabled her to handle her own obligations confidently: “I didn’t know anything about taxation until we came to learn. After the training, we can do it ourselves and know what we have to do, including applying taxation.”
Context and broader impact
This milestone sits within a broader FRCS push to bolster MSMEs through training, advisory support, and digital tools. In recent years, FRCS has trained thousands of MSMEs in tax compliance and financial literacy, and has established an MSME Support Centre offering free advisory services, mentoring, and training to help businesses manage their tax obligations. The agency has signaled ongoing expansion of programs, including bookkeeping training, to address gaps in financial record-keeping that can hinder compliance.
The momentum around women’s entrepreneurship is part of a wider trend the FRCS and government have been highlighting. Data released alongside these efforts show a sustained rise in women-led MSMEs, with thousands of women registering as sole traders and climbing into micro, small, and medium categories. This growth is seen as a positive indicator of women’s economic empowerment, household resilience, and broader social benefits.
Expert and stakeholder voices point to the value of continued support in tax compliance and formalization. FRCS has stressed that formal registration and compliance unlock access to finance, subsidies, and expanded market opportunities, while ongoing outreach and training help ensure that smaller operators can participate effectively in Fiji’s evolving tax landscape.
A look at the larger picture
Beyond the Western Division event, FRCS has undertaken nationwide efforts to streamline tax obligations for micro and small enterprises. Programs aimed at reaching community shops and SMEs, along with initiatives to digitize more businesses, reflect a strategic shift toward greater transparency and compliance. The agency points to the substantial base of registered MSMEs and the important role these businesses play in job creation, income generation, and poverty reduction.
For readers and business owners, the FRCS MSME agenda underscores practical steps to grow sustainably: participate in training and advisory programs, maintain accurate financial records, leverage digital tax tools, and consider formal registration as a pathway to broader opportunities and incentives.
Summary takeaways
– FRCS MSME Day recognized 50 local MSMEs for progress in tax and customs compliance in the Western Division.
– FRCS data highlight strong participation by women in micro, small, and medium enterprises: 28,570 women micro-entrepreneurs, 3,110 small-entrepreneurs, and 357 medium-entrepreneurs, with respective turnover ranges.
– Training initiatives have reached over a thousand rural women and have supported many more MSMEs through advisory services and the MSME Support Centre.
– The broader trend shows growing numbers of women-owned MSMEs and increasing formalization, with government and FRCS backing aimed at financial literacy, compliance, and sustainable growth.
Possible angles for follow-up
– How to access FRCS’s MSME Support Centre resources and upcoming training sessions.
– tips for new micro-entrepreneurs on transitioning to formal registration and tax compliance.
– success stories of women-led MSMEs moving from micro to small and medium categories.
– a closer look at the role of digital tax tools in empowering rural businesses.
Overall, the event reinforces a hopeful trajectory for Fiji’s MSME sector, particularly for women entrepreneurs, as training, formalization, and digital tools intersect to expand opportunities, improve livelihoods, and strengthen economic resilience.
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