G2P: Expanding Financial Inclusion in the Pacific – Fiji's Transfer of Social Welfare Recipients to a Savings-linked Electronic Payment System
This report focuses on the implementation of government-to-person (G2P) projects as mechanisms to enhance financial inclusion and provide cost and efficiency savings both to government and social welfare recipients. It examines Fiji's recent transfer of recipients to a savings-linked electronic payment system.
Linking G2P transfers and payments to financial inclusion strategies represents a new and increasingly dynamic area of practice. A growing number of countries are employing G2P strategies to better leverage the proliferation of social transfer schemes, the spread of successful branchless banking models, and the increasing importance of financial inclusion as a policy objective. Findings indicate that transition to a new electronic payment system can achieve financial inclusion objectives by focusing on a few key, replicable steps. They are:
- Beginning with a strong grasp of the context for G2P;
- Making the case and building buy-in from key senior staff in government ministries;
- Understanding client needs and any barriers to change;
- Soliciting stakeholder involvement early on in discussing solutions;
- Setting clear and financially inclusive specifications for a new payment system;
- Soliciting bids and selecting the most cost-effective solution;
- Setting a realistic timetable for roll out.
