This nationally representative survey covered randomly selected households across Tonga from the urban, rural and remote areas including the outer islands.
The purpose of the survey was to identify the baseline level and condition of access and usage of financial services and products in Tonga. In addition, the survey identified the challenges and barriers that are faced by Tongan people with regards to accessing financial products and services, the type of products and services that are in demand as well as the level of awareness and financial literacy of the people.
The main findings of the survey included the following:
- Tonga’s level of financial inclusion is comparable with the rest of the Pacific region, particularly Samoa.
- 34% of Tongan adults are completely excluded from financial services, with another 14% only accessing informal financial service instruments such as savings clubs, shop credit, moneylenders, or hire purchases. Only 41% of Tongan adults have a bank account. Those more likely to be financially excluded are low-income earners, casual income-earners and most of the residents of Ha’apai.
- Unlike other Pacific Island countries, there is no apparent gender gap in bank account ownership, and neither does age appear to be a factor for account ownership.
- Financial transactions are heavily cash-based, with the majority of Tongan adults (with the exception of the public sector) receiving income in cash. Nearly all Tongans pay utility and school payments with cash instead of using digital channels such as bank transfers, debit cards or mobile money.
- Tongans rely heavily on informal savings and credit, with 46% of Tongan adults saving at home and 23% using savings clubs.
- Remittances are an important income source for many Tongan adults, with 70% reported receiving remittances in the last year.
- 63% reported saving geared towards everyday expenses and social obligations, rather than saving for long term goals such as housing, business, asset accumulation or education.
- Many Tongans do not feel the need for insurance coverage.
The result of the survey has provided a platform where the Reserve Bank, financial service providers, government and other relevant stakeholders join forces to develop and improve financial inclusion in Tonga. In issuing the report on the Demand Side Survey, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Sione Ngongo Kioa, hopes that the result of the survey would contribute to improving people’s confidence to access the formal financial system and appropriate financial products and services are available to meet the public’s demand.
The Reserve Bank’s mandate under the National Reserve Bank of Tonga Act was recently extended to include promoting financial inclusion, as it recognizes that this supports its role of ensuring inclusive economic growth and macroeconomic stability, and that financial inclusion is not just about the availability and sustainability of financial services in the remote areas, but also the affordability and relevance of these services to the livelihood of the people of Tonga.
The DSS report can be found here.
Lipooti ‘o e savea ki he ngaahi fiema’u ‘a e kakai fekau’aki mo e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga
‘Oku tuku atu ‘i he ‘aho ni ‘e he Pangike Pule Fakafonua ‘a Tonga ha lipooti fekau’aki mo e savea ki he ngaahi fiema’u ‘a e kakai ‘o e fonua fekau’aki mo e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga (Demand Side Survey). Na’e fakahoko ‘a e savea ko eni ‘e he Pangike Pule ‘i he ta’u kuo ‘osi fakataha mo e Potungaue Sitesitika ‘a Tonga pea na’e tokoni’i ‘a hono fakahoko ‘o e savea ni ‘e he Kautaha ‘a e Pasifiki ki hono fakafaingofua’i ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘o e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga (Pacific Financial Inclusion Program [PFIP]) pea mo e kautaha ko e Bankable Frontier Associates (BFA). Na’e fakahoko ‘a e savea fakafonua ko ’eni ki he ngaahi ‘api nofo’anga ‘i Tongatapu mo e ngaahi ‘otu motu kotoa, ‘o kau ki ai e ngaahi kolo ‘oku ofi ki loto kolo (urban) pea mo e ngaahi kolo ki ‘uta (rural).
Ko e taumu’a ‘o e savea, ko hono vakai’i ‘a e tu’unga ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga (financial services) pea mo hono ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘e he kakai ‘o e fonua (access to financial servies). Na’e ha mai ‘i he savea ni ‘a e ngaahi palopalema ‘oku ne fakafe’atungia’i ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘e he kakai e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga pea pehe ki he ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘oku fiema’u ‘e he kakai, mo e tu’unga ‘o e taukei pe ‘ilo mo mahino’i ‘e he kakai ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga.
Ko e ngaahi tefito’i ola ‘eni ‘o e savea:
- ‘Oku fakafehoanaki lelei pe ‘a e tu’unga ‘a hono ngāue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngāue fakapa’anga ‘i Tonga ni mo e toenga ‘o e ngaahi fonua ‘i he Pasifiki tautefito ki Ha’amoa.
- Ko e peseti ‘e 34 ‘o e kakai ‘oku ‘ikai ke nau ngaue’aki ha taha ‘o e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga, pea ko e peseti leva ‘e 14 ‘oku nau ma’u faingamalie ki he ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘oku ‘ikai ke laiseni (formal system), ‘o hange ko e ngaahi kautaha li pa’anga, fakamo’ua he falekoloa, ngaahi no taautaha, pe ko hono fakatau ‘o ha koloa kae totongi kongokonga (hire purchase). Ko e peseti pe ‘e 41 ‘o e kakai ‘oku ‘i ai ‘enau fakahu pa’anga ‘i he pangike (bank account). Ko e lahi ‘o kinautolu ‘oku ‘ikai kenau ma’u faingamalie ki he ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga, ‘a kinautolu ko ‘enau ma’u’anga pa’anga pe vahenga ‘oku ma’ulalo, pehe foki kia kinautolu ‘oku ngaue fakataimi pe (casual workers) mo e konga lahi foki ‘o e kakai ‘oku nau nofo ‘i Ha’apai.
- ‘Oku vahevahe lelei pe ‘a e tokolahi ‘o e kakai tangata mo e kakai fefine ‘oku ‘i ai ‘enau ngaahi fakahu pa’anga ‘i he pangike, ‘a ia ‘oku kehe eni mei he ngaahi fonua kehe ‘i he Pasifiki, pea ‘oku ‘ikai ke ha mai ha fa’ahinga fakangatangata ‘o fekau’aki mo ha ta’u motu’a ‘o ha taha ke ne uesia ‘a e faingamalie ke ‘i ai ha ‘akauni pangike ‘a ha taha.
- Ko e lahi taha ‘o e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘oku kei ngaue’aki lahi pe ‘a e totongi pa’anga (cash), he ko e tokolahi ‘o e kau ma’u ngaue ‘oku totongi pa’anga (cash) atu ‘enau ngaahi vahe, tukukehe ‘a e kau ngaue fakapule’anga. ‘Oku kei lahi taha pe ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘e he kakai ‘a e pa’anga (cash) ki he totongi ‘o e ngaahi mo’ua faka’api (utility payment) pea mo e totongi ako, pea kei si’i ‘aupito pe ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga fakatekinolosia ‘o hange ko e fehu’aki faka’ilekutulonika (electric) ‘o e ngaahi totongi pa’anga, kaati toho pa’anga he misini pe ko e ngaahi totongi pa’anga ‘o ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi telefoni to’oto’o (mobile money).
- ‘Oku lahi taha ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘e he kakai ‘a e ngaahi fakahu pa’anga mo e ngaahi no mei he ngaahi kautaha ‘oku ‘ikai ke laiseni (informal sector), ‘a ia ko e peseti ‘e 46 ‘o e kakai ‘oku nau fakahu pa’anga pe ‘i ‘api (saving at home) pea ko e peseti ‘e 23 ‘oku nau ngaue’aki ‘a e kautaha li pa’anga (saving clubs).
- Ko e ma’u’anga pa’anga lahi taha ki he kakai ko e talafi pa’anga mei muli, ‘a ia ko e peseti ‘e 70 ‘o e kakai na’a nau ma’u talafi pa’anga mei muli ‘i he ta’u kuohili.
- Ko e peseti ‘e 63 ‘o e pa’anga ‘oku fakahu ‘oku fakataumu’a ia ki he ngaahi fakamole faka’aho pea mo e ngaahi fatongia ‘o ‘api ‘o ‘ikai ke fakahu ‘aki ‘a e taumu’a ko e sio loloa hange ko e langa fale, pisinisi, tanaki koloa pe ako.
- Ko e tokolahi ‘o e kakai ‘oku ‘ikai ke nau fiema’u ‘a e ngaahi ngaue malu’i (insurance).
‘Oku ha mei he ola ‘o e savea ‘a e mahu’inga ke ngaue fakataha ‘a e Pangike Pule, ngaahi kautaha fakapa’anga, Pule’anga pea mo e ngaahi kupu fekau’aki kotoa pe ke fakalakalaka mo fakafaingofua’i ange ‘a hono ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘i Tonga ni. ‘I hono tuku atu ‘a e lipooti ‘o e savea ni, na’e pehe ‘e he Kovana ‘o e Pangike Pule, Sione Ngongo Kioa, ‘oku ne faka’amu ‘e tokoni ‘a e ola ‘o e savea ni, ke faka’ai’ai e kakai ke nau fie ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga kuo faka’ataa mai ‘e he ngaahi kautaha fakapa’anga, pea ke fakapapau’i ‘oku feau ‘e he ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga ‘oku tuku mai ‘e he ngaahi kautaha fakapa’anga ‘a e fiema’u ‘a e kakai.
Na’e toki fakahoko ‘a e fakalelei ki he lao ‘o e Pangike Pule Fakafonua ‘a Tonga ke fakakau mai ki he ngaahi fatongia ‘o e Pangike Pule ‘a hono faka’ai’ai mo fakafaingofua’i hono ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga (financial inclusion). Na’e makatu’unga eni mei he tui ‘a e Pangike Pule ‘e tokoni ‘eni ki hono patoloaki ‘o e tupu faka’ekonomika fakalukufua, pea pehe ki hono fakapapau’i ko e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga kuo tuku mai ‘e he ngaahi kautaha fakapa’anga ‘o a’u ki he ngaahi kolo ki ‘uta mo e ‘otu motu ‘oku ma’ama’a fe’unga ke malava ‘e he kakai ‘o ngaue’aki pea toe ‘aonga foki ki he langa hake ‘o e mo’ui ‘a e kakai ‘o e fonua.
‘E malava ke ma’u atu ‘a e lipooti ‘o e savea ki he ngaahi fiema’u ‘a e kakai fekau’aki mo e ngaahi ngaue fakapa’anga (Demand Side Survey Report) ‘i Demand Side Survey.
