A new company designed to give indigenous landowners a direct stake in development projects will begin operations on April 1, the Minister for iTaukei Affairs has told Parliament, marking the latest step in the government’s push to restructure how land-based value is shared.
Minister Ifereimi Vasu confirmed that Qele Maroroi Holdings Pte Limited will be operational from next month and that the vehicle will be implemented through the iTaukei Land Trust Board (ILTB). The company is intended to provide a platform for iTaukei landowners to partner directly in development projects carried out on their customary land rather than remaining passive recipients of lease payments.
“This company will serve as a strategic vehicle allowing landowners to participate directly as UQT partners in development projects on their own resources, ensuring that landowners benefit from the value created through their land,” Vasu told MPs. He said the government believes the initiative will transform landowners from lease recipients into active development partners who can capture more of the economic returns from projects on their land.
The ILTB, which administers leases and land-use arrangements for iTaukei land, will oversee the implementation of Qele Maroroi Holdings. Officials say the new structure is aimed at giving customary landowners clearer pathways to equity, joint ventures or other forms of direct participation in commercial developments — a shift from the long-established model in which landowners typically receive periodic lease payments while outside developers retained the bulk of project profits.
The announcement comes as the government pursues a broader agenda to boost land-led investment. In recent months authorities have been advancing reforms and tools to speed up land approvals and facilitate investment, and state-backed investors have shown growing interest in acquiring strategic property assets. The establishment of Qele Maroroi Holdings is being framed as complementary to those efforts by providing a mechanism for customary owners to be formal partners in ventures that arise from improved planning, approvals and investment activity.
Details on how individual landowners will be enrolled as shareholders or partners in projects, the governance arrangements of Qele Maroroi Holdings, and the first developments targeted under the new structure have not been released. The March 31 parliamentary confirmation did not specify project pipelines or how revenue-sharing will be structured, leaving those operational matters to be clarified as the company becomes active.
With operations due to start on April 1, attention will turn to the ILTB and the newly formed company to outline the practical steps to bring landowners into project decision-making and revenue streams. For many communities dependent on customary land, the model promises a rebalancing of benefits from development — but the effectiveness of the change will depend on the transparency of governance and the terms on which partnerships are offered.
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