Hosted by the Business Council of Papua New Guinea (BCPNG) and proudly supported by BSP Financial Group Ltd and PNG Department of ICT, this year’s Forum was held under the theme “Transforming Papua New Guinea: Resilient, Connected, Future-Ready.” The event brought together decision-makers, innovators, regulators, and business leaders to examine the opportunities and challenges shaping PNG’s digital and economic future.
Opening the Forum, BCPNG President Susil Nelson-Kongoi highlighted the significance of the moment facing the country.
“Papua New Guinea stands at a pivotal moment. We are seeing progress. We are seeing momentum. But we also know that major structural barriers remain — and unless we address them with urgency, coordination, and bold reform, we risk slowing our own potential,” she said.
A recurring theme throughout the Forum was the critical role that digital connectivity, technology adoption, and infrastructure investment will play in unlocking future economic growth.
Sessions throughout the day examined Papua New Guinea’s digital transformation agenda, including updates on GoPNG 2.0, digital government initiatives, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure, telecommunications, cloud technologies, digital investment opportunities, and emerging technologies such as 5G and satellite connectivity.
The Forum also explored the growing importance of modernising public systems and strengthening collaboration between government agencies, regulators, technology providers, and the private sector. Discussions highlighted how improved connectivity, smarter infrastructure, and stronger digital governance can drive productivity, enhance service delivery, attract investment, and create new economic opportunities.
One of the strongest messages delivered during the Forum centred on the findings of the Internet Access Study commissioned by BCPNG and its partners. The study identified internet affordability, connectivity reliability, and infrastructure constraints as key barriers affecting business growth and digital adoption across the country.
As Nelson-Kongoi noted, “PNG businesses are not failing to digitalise — they are being priced and disrupted out of it.”
However, the outlook presented was far from pessimistic. The study demonstrated that significant economic gains remain within reach if Papua New Guinea can accelerate reforms, improve infrastructure reliability, expand digital government services, and strengthen digital skills development.
The Forum also recognised recent progress in the sector, including advancements in digital government initiatives, telecommunications infrastructure, cloud adoption, and the entry of new connectivity providers into the market. These developments signal growing momentum towards a more competitive and digitally enabled economy.
Beyond the presentations and panel discussions, the Futures Forum served as an important platform for dialogue and partnership. Participants from across the public and private sectors shared insights, challenged existing assumptions, and explored practical pathways for addressing some of PNG’s most pressing development challenges.
The conversations reinforced a clear message: digital transformation is no longer simply a technology issue. It is an economic, governance, and national development imperative.
As Papua New Guinea continues its journey towards becoming a K200 billion economy, the partnerships, ideas, and commitments emerging from forums such as these will play an increasingly important role in shaping the country’s future.
The 8th Futures Forum once again demonstrated the value of bringing leaders together to have honest conversations about the challenges ahead while maintaining a shared focus on opportunity. The future being discussed is not decades away—it is already unfolding, and Papua New Guinea has an opportunity to shape it with purpose, collaboration, and ambition.
