Two-thirds of Fijians without mobile phones rely on shared devices

A significant portion of the Fijian population remains dependent on others for digital connectivity, with 68% of those who do not own a mobile phone regularly relying on someone else's device or SIM card. These findings highlight a persistent gap in hardware ownership that forces a large segment of the population to mediate their communication and financial lives through third parties.

According to the Fiji Financial Services Demand Side Survey 2025, reported by The Fiji Times, the reliance on shared devices is not evenly distributed. Women are more likely to share phones than men, with a sharing rate of 74% compared to 60% among non-owners. Geographic and age-based disparities are also evident; 72% of non-phone owners in rural areas share devices, compared to 62% in urban centers. Among different age groups, the highest reliance is found among youth aged 15-35 at 74%, followed by those aged 56-65 at 69%, while those 66 and older show the lowest sharing rate at 54%.

The drivers of shared access

The primary motivation for this behavior is basic communication. The survey found that 76% of those sharing devices do so to make calls or send messages. However, the use of shared hardware has expanded beyond simple voice calls; internet access is the second most common reason for sharing, cited by 51% of respondents.

Financial transactions have also become a key component of this shared ecosystem. The data shows that 14% of non-phone owners have used another person's device to make a payment, with 7% doing so on a regular basis. The Fiji Times noted that women are slightly more likely than men to utilize shared devices specifically for payments, sending or receiving money, and accessing the internet.

Implications for digital inclusion

This reliance on shared access serves as a critical bridge for those unable to afford personal hardware, but it creates significant systemic risks. When access to mobile banking, government digital tools, and private communication is mediated through a third party, it creates inherent barriers to personal privacy and financial independence. For women and rural residents—the groups most affected—this dependency can limit their ability to engage with the digital economy on their own terms.

Looking ahead

As Fiji continues to digitize its financial and public services, the 2025 survey suggests that hardware affordability remains a primary bottleneck. The disparity between urban and rural access, as well as the gender gap in device ownership, indicates that digital inclusion efforts may need to move beyond expanding network coverage to addressing the cost of the devices themselves. Whether this trend of shared access will diminish as handset prices drop or solidify into a permanent social structure remains to be seen.