Improving Financial Access Program, Subprogram 1 (ADB-58479-001)

Regions
  • East Asia and Pacific
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Papua New Guinea
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Financial Institutions
  • Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Approved
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
C
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Voting Date
Dec 12, 2025
Date when project documentation and funding is reviewed by the Board for consideration and approval. Some development banks will state a "board date" or "decision date." When funding approval is obtained, the legal documents are accepted and signed, the implementation phase begins.
Borrower
Government of Papua New Guinea - Department of Treasury
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Finance
  • Law and Government
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Loan
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 100.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Project Cost (USD)
$ 100.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Bank Documents
Media Documents
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ ADB website

Updated in EWS Apr 22, 2026

Disclosed by Bank Dec 12, 2025

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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

According to the Bank’s website, the proposed program is designed to improve access to finance and the international payment system. The program aims to improve individuals’ and businesses’ access to financial services, thereby fostering economic growth and livelihood opportunities. The program will strengthen the regulatory and institutional framework governing access to domestic and international financial services that support payments, remittances, credit, and capital, and support households and businesses in creating employment and trade opportunities. The program comprises two subprograms that will reinforce each other to address both the supply and demand sides of the finance sector, creating a robust and sustainable financial ecosystem to support improved access to finance while building financial resilience through improvements in the correspondent banking environment.

Early Warning System Project Analysis
For a project with severe or irreversible impacts to local community and natural resources, the Early Warning System Team may conduct a thorough analysis regarding its potential impacts to human and environmental rights.

In compliance with ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009), the program is classified category C for environment, involuntary resettlement, and Indigenous Peoples. The program is not expected to have any adverse environmental or social safeguard impacts, as no physical activities are anticipated and no policy actions will cause negative direct or indirect environmental impacts. An assessment of the program’s potential impacts on safeguards is provided. All potential impacts are insignificant, justifying the program’s classification as category C for environment, involuntary resettlement, and Indigenous Peoples.

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.

The government has requested a regular loan of $100 million from ADB’s ordinary capital resources to help finance the program. The loan will have a 15-year term, including a grace period of 3 years; an interest rate determined in accordance with ADB’s Flexible Loan Product; a commitment charge of 0.15% per year.


Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

For the Borrower:

Secretary, Department of Treasury
The Treasury Building
P.O. Box 542
Waigani, National Capital District
Papua New Guinea
Email Address: enquiries@treasury.gov.pg ;  treasury_inquiries@treasury.gov.pg

For ADB:

Asian Development Bank
6 ADB Avenue
Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila
Philippines
Facsimile Numbers: (632) 8636-2444

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.adb.org/forms/request-information-form

ADB has a two-stage appeals process for requesters who believe that ADB has denied their request for information in violation of its Access to Information Policy. You can learn more about filing an appeal at: https://www.adb.org/site/disclosure/appeals

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main.

How it works

How it works