SME TRAINING PROGRAM EQUIPS PNG TRAINERS TO EMPOWER INFORMAL ECONOMY

By Sandra ULG

A two-week Training of Trainers (TOT) program hosted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation (SMEC) equipped 15 participants with the skills, confidence, and vision to drive SME development at the grassroots level across the country.

Speaking at the closing ceremony in SMEC Managing Director Mr. Petrus Ralda described PNG’s informal economy as immature and complex, stressing the urgent need for multi-sector collaboration to support small business growth.

Mr. Ralda says Eighty-five percent of people are in the informal sector. Many are business illiterate they do not even realize they are running a business. This is why programs like this are so critical. People must shift mindsets and build an entrepreneurship culture.

He thanked key partners, including the Tourism Promotion Authority, the Electoral Commission, the private sector, and the International Labor Organization (ILO), for their continued support in strengthening the SME sector. He said limited resources should not be a barrier to progress if stakeholders work together with aligned goals.

He confirmed that SMEC is changing its strategy from top-down to bottom-up starting with SME development efforts at the ward and household level, where real change begins.

Speaking on behalf of the participants TPA’s Executive Manager Research and Business Development Douglas Keari, who completed the intensive TOT program, said the training was rigorous, hands-on, and transformative

Mr. Keari emphasized that mindset change must to be the starting point in any SME training delivered to rural communities.

He urged fellow participants to apply the knowledge gained, warning that unused knowledge becomes wasted potential.

Meanwhile Master Trainer Mr. Edward Kepa reinforced the importance of time management, responsibility, and the broader impact of SME training on national stability and economic growth.

He commended the participants’ efforts, announcing a 95 percent satisfaction score for the program one of the highest ever recorded.

He says they are now part of the ILO global team. And they must now go and develop the 85 percent of people living in rural areas. Help them move from subsistence to sustainable entrepreneurship.

The training has officially concluded on Friday 27th June 2025.