The leading provider of microfinance in Tonga
Following the success of SPBD Samoa, we successfully launched our first replication in the Kingdom of Tonga in 2009. SPBD Tonga reached financial sustainability within 18 months of inception and has disbursed more than US $87,000,000 in loans to hard-working women. SPBD operates on the four major islands/islands groups of Tonga.
Why Tonga?
Only 30% of Tongan women are employed and 40% of them are underemployed being engaged in subsistence farming, fishing, and handicrafts. 23% of the population lives below the poverty line. Opportunities for salaried employment are scarce.
SPBD Tonga by the numbers
US $87.3M
Value of loans disbursed
since inception
75,700
Number of loans made to
hard-working women since inception
10,400
Number of
savings accounts
4,800
Number of
loans outstanding
“I am very thrilled that SPBD has recognized my hard work and commitment to my business. I am very proud to be one of the many who has succeeded in using these loans to further my business.”
Pasiano, Weaver, Tonga
About Tonga
Tonga went through a period of violent civil unrest in 2006 but has since then enjoyed political stability. GDP per capita is about USD 3,700. Remittances form 24% of GDP and 82% of households benefit from them. Four private commercial banks are active in the country: BSP (Bank of South Pacific), ANZ, Malaysian Banking Finance (MBf Bank) and the Tonga Development Bank (TDB).
Latest News
SPBD Relocates Labasa Office to Boost Accessibility and Visibility
South Pacific Business Development (SPBD), a key player in Fiji’s microfinance market, has moved its Labasa operation to a new location on the main road of Labasa Town. The relocation was a strategic decision for the organisation, aimed at increasing visibility and accessibility for clients and stakeholders, according to SPBD Fiji’s managing director Elrico Munoz. […]
Crowdfunding Success: $15M in Micro Loans Delivered Through Kiva and SPBD Partnership
Nearly 10,000 micro loans amounting over $15 million have been funded through a partnership between crowdfunding firm Kiva and the South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) Fiji. This was revealed by Kiva Microfunds’ Asia Pacific investment manager Mark McDonagh when he officially opened SPBD Fiji’s Labasa office yesterday. “Seven years into Kiva’s partnership with SPBD Fiji, […]
SPBD Fiji expands to tenth branch office in Nausori on the Island of Viti Levu
The South Pacific Business Development (SPBD) Fiji officially opened its 10th branch in Nausori in June 2024. The new brannch is its latest addition since it established operations in Fiji in 2010. The new branch will provide financial services and business development opportunities to women in the Tailevu region. “Nausori itself has a thriving presence […]
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