Digital trust is now essential to doing business: Kamikamica

Fiji’s economic growth increasingly depends on its ability to build a secure and trusted digital environment, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industries, Commerce, Business Development and Public Enterprises Manoa Kamikamica.

Mr Kamikamica made the comment while opening the 7th National Conference on Information Technology (NCIT) 2026 at Shangri-La Yanuca Island in Nadroga today.

He said cybersecurity, data protection and digital trust were essential to businesses as Fiji expanded its digital economy.

“I see the digital agenda as inseparable from the broader work of growing our economy. A secure and trusted digital environment is now as essential to doing business in Fiji as reliable roads, power and water,” he said.

Mr Kamikamica said micro, small and medium enterprises increasingly depended on digital payments, e-commerce platforms and online services, making the protection of businesses, personal information and digital systems critical to Fiji’s economic resilience.

He said the Government’s National Digital Strategy and National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy provided a roadmap for strengthening Fiji’s digital foundations.

“This includes having resilient digital infrastructure and robust safeguards against emerging cyber threats. We will continue to strengthen our cybersecurity posture and continue in our cyber diplomacy efforts and participate in and shape regional and global frameworks.”

The Government’s targets for 2030 include having 80 per cent of key government services fully digitalised, creating 40,000 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) jobs, achieving 50 per cent 5G coverage and rolling out a National ID.

Mr Kamikamica said these ambitions had to be matched by stronger safeguards as more economic and government activity moved online.

“The Data Protection Legal Framework is being put in place. We have completed the National Privacy and Personal Data Protection Policy where every person’s privacy comes first and our policy is aligned to the only global data protection treaty, which the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is based on,” he said.

He added that regional cooperation would be important as Pacific countries dealt with connectivity, cybersecurity and digital governance.

“When our region speaks with a coordinated voice on issues of connectivity, cybersecurity and digital governance, we are far better placed to ensure that global digital rules are shaped with Pacific realities in mind, rather than simply applied to us from elsewhere,” he said.

He urged delegates to challenge Government where its policies fell short and hold it accountable for its commitments.

“Challenge Government where our policies fall short and hold us to account for the commitments we make here today,” he said.

The conference, themed “From Vanua to Virtual”, brings together Government, industry, academia, civil society and regional technology partners to discuss building a secure and productive digital Pacific.