Find Computing and Office Supplies expertise in Vanuatu

There is relatively low PC penetration in Vanuatu. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 7.8% of households owned a personal computer in 2009 (ITU-D, 2009). Internet penetration grew notably between 2005 and 2011; in 2005, 5% of the population had access to internet usage, and in 2011 this had risen to 8.5%, equivalent to 19,172 people. For the same year a total of 7,200 people in Vanuatu were registered Facebook users, representing 3.2% of the total population (Internet World Stats).  Computing and office related machinery represented 0.37% of the country’s total imports for 2010 (Observatory of Economic Complexity, 2010).

There are a few local companies in Vanuatu offering computing and IT services, the majority of which are located in Port Vila and Luganville. Examples include Computer World, which operates through a both a local store and a website. Computer World specialises in the distribution of computers, laptops, tables and accessories from a variety of top name manufacturers including Apple and Hewlett Packard. Another well-known company in the country is Computer and Network Services Ltd (CNS). CNS offers a wide range of ICT services, including: repairs and website development, sales of hardware and peripherals, and training programmes. Office supplies companies can also be found in the larger cities of Vanuatu.

Due to the small size of Vanuatu multinational companies do not tend to have head offices or direct distributers on the Island. Several local computer companies are authorised resellers of big brand names such as LG, Microsoft and Apple. Furthermore some large international hardware and software firms including IBM, HP and Microsoft operate externally within the region, marketing products in Vanuatu from offices in Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.

In 2012 the prime minister of Vanuatu hosted an Information Communication Technology (ICT) showcase in celebration of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The showcase served to exhibit the usage of ICT in practice, in areas such as banking, public administration, transport, and education, demonstrating how ICT can be used for the benefit of both citizens and businesses. The government of Vanuatu also announced the beginning of a new policy starting the same year, to achieve “ICT for All”. The government aims to work together with private sector organisations to assist in the development of a “Healthy, Wealthy and Educated Nation”.