He says the recognition was a major honour for a company operating from a small Pacific Island nation and demonstrated that innovation was not determined by market size, but by its impact on people’s lives.
He dedicated the award to M-PAiSA customers, saying their trust and support had been central to the platform’s growth.
Prasad also acknowledged the company’s employees, business partners, merchants, agents, technology providers and regulators for their contribution to the development of Fiji’s digital payments ecosystem.
He particularly recognised the role of the Reserve Bank of Fiji and the wider regulatory community in supporting innovation while maintaining trust and security within the financial system.
Prasad also expressed appreciation to the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) for helping de-risk the project during its formative years.
M-PAiSA was established with the objective of expanding access to affordable, convenient and secure financial services for Fijians, including those living outside major urban centres.
According to Prasad, the platform’s impact extends beyond technology, with digital financial services providing opportunities for rural farmers, fishermen, women entrepreneurs and families receiving remittances from relatives overseas.
He highlighted M-PAiSA’s continued focus on innovation, including its integration with Mastercard and global card schemes, making it the first non-bank entity in Fiji to achieve such integration.
The company has also introduced Tap Phone to Pay, allowing merchants to accept contactless NFC payments using smartphones.
Prasad says M-PAiSA’s extensive QR merchant payment network as another step towards expanding digital payments among businesses across Fiji.
He says the company’s approach to innovation was focused on addressing practical challenges and improving access to financial services rather than simply deploying new technology.
Prasad says the award would not mark the end of the company’s journey, but would instead strengthen its commitment to further innovation and to connecting more Fijians and businesses to the opportunities created by the digital economy.
