A week-long financial inclusion outreach held from 6th to 11th October 2025 saw cocoa farmers in the Inland Baining area of East New Britain gain access to formal banking services for the first time.

The initiative, organized by the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the FOLUR Project, took place across six villages in the Inland Baining Local Level Government (LLG) of the Gazelle District.

According to organizers, the account-opening programme was conducted in Manapki, Bruit, Rangulit, Kasaska, Malasaet, and Alakasam villages, where teams from several financial institutions provided on-site services to local communities.

Participating institutions included East New Britain Savings and Loan Society (ENBSL), Kadaporoman Microfinance Limited, Nationwide Microbank, Nasfund Contributors Savings and Loan Society (NCSL), and BSP Financial Group Limited.

It was reported that between 20 and 30 new accounts were opened by each institution in every community, signaling strong local interest and growing trust in formal financial systems.

CEFI representatives said the outreach demonstrated the effectiveness of collaboration in promoting financial inclusion in remote areas. They explained that access to basic banking services would empower families, support small-scale cocoa farmers, and foster a culture of saving and financial management.

The programme was described as a key milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen rural livelihoods and ensure that economic opportunities reach all communities in East New Britain.

Ends.

Caption: Images  showing representatives from financial institutions opening accounts for Cocoa farmers in Inland Baining in East New Britain Province.