Cabinet has reintroduced the Freehold Buy Back Scheme, now dubbed Buy Back Scheme 3.0, allowing eligible iTaukei landowning units (LOUs) to reclaim ancestral lands lost during the colonial era.
The scheme returns after a 32-year hiatus with a proposed allocation of $10million in the 2025-2026 National Budget.
A revised implementation framework will be developed by the Lands and Finance ministries and the Solicitor General’s office.
First launched in 1989 and expanded in 1993, the original scheme saw the Government acquire 24 freehold parcels, more than 14,700 acres, on behalf of LOUs through interest-free loans.
Nine LOUs have since repaid their loans, with $2.98million recovered.
Buy Back Scheme 3.0 will maintain the lands as freehold, in line with the 2013 Constitution, and introduce restrictive covenants to prevent future alienation without the Director of Lands’ consent.
The scheme encourages productive land use in housing, agriculture, or commercial ventures and supports landowners through participatory development.
Ten new freehold parcels have already been identified, with LOUs expressing interest, and 11 more are under negotiation.
“This scheme is not just about returning land, it’s about building a foundation for future prosperity,” said Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Filimoni Vosarogo.
Buy Back Scheme 3.0 is seen as a community-led, future-focused response to historic injustice.
