M-PAiSA handles $55M in monthly remittances - Prasad

Digital transactions in Fiji are surging, with M-PAiSA handling $55 million in monthly remittances, totalling $680 million annually.

While speaking during the launch of the National E-commerce Strategy, Vodafone Fiji’s eCommerce Head Shailendra Prasad highlighted this and says the nation’s digital payment journey since 2010 has led to an award-winning mobile payment platform backed by UNCDF and funded by Australia and New Zealand.

Prasad says Fiji’s digital finance sector has transformed over the past decade, with mobile money reducing financial exclusion from 45 percent in 2010 to 7 percent today, while QR payments at 3,850 merchants drive $50 million in monthly transactions and the platform processed nearly $8 billion last year.

He says the government’s $40 million back-to-school fund distribution via digital wallets has further boosted cashless transactions.

He adds that Vodafone’s partnership with Mastercard enables 75,000 Fijians to access global e-commerce without traditional banking, while its VitiKart platform ensures a secure marketplace.

Prasad says challenges remain in securing payment gateways and preventing fraud, with Vodafone aiming to work with the Reserve Bank and UNCDF to de-risk e-commerce.

He further says that as Fiji’s digital economy continues to grow, businesses that fail to integrate mobile payment solutions risk missing out on a significant share of the country’s financial ecosystem.

He says the push for digital payments is expected to expand further, driven by financial technology, government support, and increasing consumer adoption.