Sione Ngongo Kioa

Sione Ngongo Kioa
Born	(1959-04-14) April 14, 1959 Tonga
Occupation(s)	Diplomat, public official, economist
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (2013–2022), Tongan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (2006–2012)

Sione Ngongo Kioa (born 14 April 1959) is a distinguished Tongan diplomat and public official who held the position of Governor at the National Reserve Bank of Tonga from 2013 until 2022.

Ngongo completed his secondary education at Tailulu College before pursuing higher studies in mathematics and economics at the University of the South Pacific located in Suva, Fiji. He subsequently obtained a Doctorate in Economics from the Australian National University in Canberra, Australia.

His professional journey began with his appointment as Deputy Director of Central Planning between 1992 and 1996, followed by a tenure as Assistant Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1996 to 1999. Upon returning to Tonga in 2001, he assumed the role of Director of Fiscal and Economic Policies within the Ministry of Finance (Tonga), and later managed the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Operation for Cyclone Waka in 2002.

Between 2002 and 2005, Ngongo served as General Manager of Leiola Duty Free Shops and simultaneously held the presidency of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industries. In 2005, he was designated as Tonga’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a post he occupied from 2006 through 2012. During this period, he also received accreditation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to several European nations including Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium, as well as to the European Union.

Ngongo was appointed Governor of the National Reserve Bank of Tonga on 21 August 2013, where he directed monetary policy until concluding his term in October 2022. Additionally, since March 2022, he has been serving as Chairperson of the Shared Board Transport Sector.

Honours

National honours

• Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Grand Cross (31 July 2008).