Samoa’s Minister of Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o, has presented a $1.24 billion tālā budget for fiscal year 2025/2026 for Parliamentary approval, as the government seeks to expand on social protections, community empowerment programs, and new development projects across key sectors.
“Together we rise, guided by the past, to strengthen the present, and secure the future,” is the theme for the budget, which is predicted to have a deficit of $210.9 million tālā—equal to 3.5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product—to be financed by budget support and cash balances.
Health and Education are still at the top of government priorities, with the Ministry of Health getting the largest slice of the pie at $170.7 million tālā, including $12 million tālā for overseas medical treatment and $12 million tālā for the National Kidney Foundation.
The Ministry of Education and Culture is proposed to receive $134.4 million tālā to cover government scholarships, the One Government School Grant ($18.5 million tālā), and the National University of Samoa ($18.1 million tālā).
As promised, the Faatuatua i Le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) government will increase the District Development Program to $91.8 million tālā from $51 million tālā.
Other election promises coming to fruition include raising pensions and disability benefits from $200 tālā to $300 tālā monthly, starting next month.
Mulipola also proposed tripling sports funding to $6 million tālā and doubling Shelter Financing to $1 million tālā.
The budget, covering July 2025 to June 2026, will help complete the Savalalo Market and Atele Packhouse by December 2025.
Institutional reforms include splitting Customs and Revenue into separate ministries and establishing the Samoa Export Authority as a public body.
