Shania Shayal Prasad 
Fifty small and medium enterprises will now be able to strengthen their online presence with the provision of tablets under the MSME Tablet Assistance Scheme.
This is part of the continued collaboration between Vodafone and the Reserve Bank of Fiji since 2020 to support digital growth in the sector.
The initiative is designed to equip these businesses with the tools they need to expand their digital presence and promote their products on e-commerce platforms opening doors to wider markets and supporting their digital transformation in the evolving business landscape.
Vodafone’s Regional Chief Marketing Officer, Rajnesh Prasad, states that they have about 120 SMEs on the platform, all supported by the RBF through subsidized fees for the last four years.
Prasad emphasizes that this new phase targets those SMEs that lacked the proper tools to fully engage with the digital marketplace.
He adds they assessed that these SMEs didn’t have the necessary devices to upload products or manage accounts online, so they decided to provide them with tablets.
Prasad says the initiative also includes training for the selected SMEs, enabling them to manage their businesses and interact with customers more efficiently through digital platforms.
Reserve Bank of Fiji Governor, Ariff Ali, highlighted the importance of MSMEs in driving economic growth and job creation.
Ali stresses that technology, particularly digital tools, plays a crucial role in accelerating growth for MSMEs.
He adds for developing countries like Fiji, embracing digital technology can drive development and help align with other developed nations in terms of innovation, access to markets, and finance.
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