PNG: Supporting SMEs in the Eastern Highlands and Simbu Provinces

BLP Advisor, Abraham Mufri says his business Mufri Consultancy Services was born out of desire to not only to run his own operation, but to give back to his country and people.

Based in the Eastern Highland Province of PNG, Abraham says, “I am a local, from Lufa District in Eastern Highlands Province and wanted to use my skills and experience to help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who lack technical skills.

Abraham provides financial advice and supports SMEs to complete a range of transactions. “I help businesses with bank loan submissions, business registration for government compliance, tax returns, bookkeeping, financial reports and writing of project proposals (for farmers/or SMEs to get funding).” He also assists businesses to monitor their projects and provides advice on their online websites and social media sites.

Mufri Consultancy Services is the only BLP Advisor in the Eastern Highland Province – an area with a population of 600,000. Abraham says he joined the BLP Advisory Network to access the BLP subsidy to make his services more affordable for his clients.

BLP provides advisory services subsidies through approved business advisors and local partners. In PNG, BLP partners with the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion and the Lae Chambers of Commerce and Industry. To become a BLP approved advisor, individuals go through a BLP competency assessment to demonstrate their skills and professional advisory experience.

“Being a part of the BLP Advisory Network gives my clients the added assurance of a quality service.” He says there a lot of advisors in the area, but he smiles and says, “They prefer my services for convenience, easy access and affordability.”

Most of Abraham’s clients are in agriculture, horticulture, apiculture, fisheries or in the building construction industry. “My clients are very varied, I really enjoy what I do – working with clients.”

“I have a background in working with donor operations helping SMEs, having worked for the Government of PNG and Asian Development Bank counterpart funded projects and also the Coffee Industrial Corporation setting up businesses, running financial skills training for farmers, organising contracts with government.”

To help some of his local farming SMEs maintain better financial records, Abraham is working on a simplified accounting system/methodology and format. “The standard financial systems can be quite complex. I want to encourage farmers to better manage their finances.

“It needs simplified version to write up the records, manage, understand and interpret business financial reports. I will need BLP to approve it, but I believe this tailored package will be a good fit for these clients and provide them with a big advantage.” Good financial records are critical for loans applications, to manage tax and government compliance and build plans for the future.

Looking ahead, Abraham is preparing to run training sessions for SMEs in bookkeeping, management training, writing financial reports and analysing reports. Also on his agenda are training sessions with SMEs to build awareness of BLP in the region to get support for and awareness of the programme. Keep up the great work.

BLP facilitates access to business advisory services and financial support. To start your journey with BLP, you can self-assess your needs by using the free online tools available to help small- and medium-sized businesses diagnose areas in their businesses that an advisor could improve.

The first step can be the online Business Health Check. You can also check your business’s resilience to respond to crises or climate change challenges on the Business Continuity Planner and the Climate Action Sensor. If you prefer to meet a local BLP representative in person to discuss your business, get in touch with our local partners to arrange a face-to-face Diagnostic.

SME Training Graduates – Eastern Highlands & Simbu Provinces — Mr.Mufri on the far right standing with trainees who have successfully completed two weeks training on simple bookkeeping and financial management skills conducted and were selected from different parts of the country. The skills training conducted in Goroka town last year 2024.

Mr Abraham Mufri in Mufri Consultancy Services Office, Goroka — Mr Abraham Mufri in Mufri Consultancy Services office in Goroka town, Eastern Highlands Province

Mufri Consultancy Services Office – Goroka — The Mufri Consultancy Services Office

The Roots No 1 Limited one of the SME’s supported under BLP successfully secured 200, 000 PNG Kina Loan from Mama Bank (PNG) early this year 2025 through Bank Loan submission done by Mufri Consultancy Services. The funding documentation cost was supported by SME (Roots No 1 Limited) with 65% and the BLP subsidised with 35%.Loan Funding for 200, 000 kina released to the SME. The funds catered for the intended purpose with more coffee buying and selling as the picture. The Solar coffee drying on the left with Roots No 1 Coffee Limited Coffee Processing Plant (right) women engaged for Coffee sorting and packaging at the business site in Yasubi area, Okapa District in Eastern Highlands Province.

Mr Abraham Mufri – Mufri Consultancy Services

Mr Tony Tokah the Managing Director of Roots No 1. Limited at the Coffee Processing Plant in Yasubi area, Okapa District in Eastern Highlands Province. The processed green bean (Y) Grades for ready for export were procured from the 200,000 kina loan funding made under the Mama Bank Loan.

Mr Mufri in Lufa District for community engagement with women farmers — Mr Mufri visited women (group) farmers from Lufa District in Eastern Highlands Province and provided business support and development advice early this year 2025.

Women’s Group Performance Lufa District, Eastern Highlands — The Women (Group) Members from Lufa District in Eastern Highlands Province putting up show and showing to the audience the difficultly of accessing improved social and economic services into the rural and remote areas. Mufri Consultancy Services providing advisory services to the Women (Group) members in the Lufa District.