Construction

While resources-related projects will always be the engine of the sector, the rising number of residential, hotel, retail, transportation and office developments are becoming increasingly important, as the country’s hosting of APEC events in 2018 and the expanding middle class continue to shift Papua New Guinea’s construction priorities. The...

In the absence of a well-developed local manufacturing base for building materials, Papua New Guinea’s construction sector has largely depended on imported materials over the years, which has translated into high costs and slow development. However, recent government policy changes geared towards reducing imports of capital goods and...

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is becoming one of the main drivers of construction activity in Papua New Guinea. Local media reported that China has overtaken Australia as the largest donor to the South Pacific region, pledging $4bn in 2017; however, the nation’s growing presence in the region has also raised some concerns.

The property market in recent years has been heavily influenced by extractive projects and, more recently, Papua New Guinea’s hosting duties as chair of the APEC forum in 2018. These have created a serious gap in supply and demand, which has affected prices.

Although a downturn in the commodity cycle, the end of construction on the Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and long-standing ambiguities over land rights have constrained development in the real estate sector, changes are afoot that could lead to significant improvements. About half a dozen major housing projects are now...