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The Birth of the PNG SME Awards

The PNG SME Magazine gave rise to the SME Awards in 2020 after years of chronicling and promoting the stories of small businesses across Papua New Guinea. Since Independence in 1975, successive governments have attempted to build a vibrant small business sector to support the national economy. Early efforts, such as the Stret Pasin Stoa Program in the 1980s, had limited success. The only consistently thriving sectors were PMV operations, tucker shops, residential rentals, and coffee exports, with building construction emerging later. Yet, most small businesses lacked the resources for marketing, which stifled visibility, growth, and public recognition. Without visible success stories, there was little for aspiring entrepreneurs to emulate or be inspired by.

Reigniting SME Growth

In 2009, under the leadership of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, the Papua New Guinea government reignited national interest in small and medium enterprise (SME) development, recognizing its potential to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The Kokopo Indigenous Business Summit, held that same year, became a landmark event—setting the stage for a transformative shift in economic policy. It sent a clear message: Papua New Guineans must no longer be mere spectators in their own economy. This momentum continued to build when Richard Maru entered Parliament in 2012 and was appointed Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry. He convened the National SME Summit in Madang, where 21 strategic recommendations were presented to the government, forming the backbone of a national SME development framework. In February 2016, the O’Neill Government unveiled the PNG SME Policy and Master Plan 2016–2030—a bold and ambitious roadmap.

Embedded within the policy was a call to establish a national SME Awards program to recognise excellence and inspire others. However, despite the policy’s ambition, no action was taken to implement the awards.

Building a citizen-driven economy: Your country’s transformation begins with your courage to Act

Meanwhile, PNG SME Magazine had already begun documenting small business stories as early as 2013, building a rich archive of entrepreneurial journeys. By 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the magazine consolidated its years of storytelling into a compelling business case and took the initiative to launch the SME Awards—a platform to acknowledge hard work, innovation, and excellence in the sector. At the height of the pandemic—when many businesses faced closure—Minister for Commerce and Industry Hon. William Duma officially launched the PNG SME Awards, an initiative by PNG SME Magazine to recognize resilience and excellence in the sector.

Since 2019, the Marape Government has continued to unlock key challenges facing SMEs, including access to credit, visibility, and policy support. It has backed initiatives like the SME Credit Guarantee Scheme, forged partnerships with financial institutions, and consistently supported the Annual SME Business Breakfast and Awards, reinforcing its commitment to building a robust and citizen-driven economy. Today, the PNG SME Magazine’s SME Awards stands as the largest private sector socio-economic obligation dedicated to small business development in PNG. The SME Awards have become the flagship of recognition, inspiring thousands of entrepreneurs and giving visibility to the unsung heroes of the economy.