Authority Unveils Plans to Drive Nusantara Economic Super Hub

The Nusantara Capital City Authority (OIKN) is preparing the development of the Nusantara Economic Super Hub as part of the construction of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan. The development will be offered to investors once investment in the city’s construction begins to flow.

Deputy for Planning and Land Affairs at OIKN, Mia Amalia, stated that the Nusantara Economic Super Hub is designed as an integrated economic ecosystem connecting IKN with Balikpapan, Samarinda, and other areas in East Kalimantan.

“We are also building the Nusantara Economic Super Hub. Now that investment in the city’s construction has started to come in, we will soon begin offering investment for the Nusantara Economic Super Hub as well,” said Mia after attending the International Conference of Asia-Pacific Planning Societies (ICAPPS) 2026 seminar at Tarumanagara University, West Jakarta, on Thursday (20/8/2026).

According to Mia, the development of the Nusantara Economic Super Hub is part of the IKN development concept. IKN is not only directed to serve as a new capital city but also as a new economic growth centre in the middle of Indonesia.

She said the development of economic clusters in IKN is not directed to compete with Jakarta. “We do not plan to compete with Jakarta because new economic clusters will be developed in Nusantara,” said Mia.

Mia also conveyed that the development of the Nusantara Economic Super Hub will also consider partner regions around IKN. OIKN is currently analysing which areas can become partners in the development of the economic ecosystem. “We are currently considering which areas will become partner regions,” she said.

In terms of funding, the value of projects through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme at IKN currently reaches Rp 134.22 trillion. Meanwhile, estimated private investment that has entered has reached Rp 74.54 trillion from 67 investors.

Foreign investment has also begun to enter the realisation phase. In July 2026, a Chinese foreign investment company (PMA), PT Star Bright International Investment, commenced construction of an integrated area project worth Rp 1.25 trillion in Sub WP 1B of the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) of IKN. The project is the first construction realised by a foreign PMA company at IKN.

Additionally, PT Dian Jaya Indonesia, a South Korean PMA company, will also develop an apartment and hotel project in the WP KIPP Sub WP 1B area.

Mia said that investment entering IKN is currently largely moving in the mixed-use development sector. In addition, there is investment in the services sector, including plans for cinema construction by PT Indobox Cinematic Buana (Indobox Cinema).

She noted that the cinema investor also plans to build a production house, so the investment not only provides entertainment facilities but also supports the development of the creative economy. “The cinema wants to enter, and what is interesting is that the cinema coming in also wants to build a production house,” Mia added.

OIKN is also assisting an investor from the United Arab Emirates, Emaar Properties, in the design phase of a mixed-use development and shopping centre in front of the Nusantara City Hall Office.

In addition, a South Korean investor, Delonix, has begun building a project with a local partner.

Mia explained that investors entering IKN do not only come from within the country. Investment opportunities are open to both local and foreign investors. “It should be a mix, just like the city development itself,” she said.

The development of the Nusantara Economic Super Hub is also linked to the development of IKN Airport. OIKN is pushing for the airport’s status to be designated as a public airport.

Mia said the Authority is pushing for Presidential Regulation Number 31 of 2023 regarding the change in the airport’s nomenclature to be enacted soon. The distance between the airport and the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) of IKN is said to be around 12 minutes once connected by Toll Road Sections 6C, 5A, and 1B.

In addition, OIKN together with the Land Bank Agency and Lion Air Group have signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding plans for the construction of an aircraft maintenance centre, or Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO).

According to Mia, the cooperation involves the Land Bank Agency because the airport location is outside the IKN area and is situated on Land Bank Management Rights (HPL) land. “What will be built is a maintenance centre. It must be close to the airport,” said Mia.

The land requirement for the maintenance centre reaches 30 hectares, while the land requirement for Lion Air’s office in the IKN area is around 2 hectares.

Mia underlined that the development of these facilities will be linked to the Nusantara Economic Super Hub strategy. “We need to discuss how to develop the airport with the maintenance centre located outside IKN with the strategy for the Nusantara Economic Super Hub,” she said.

ICAPPS 2026 serves as a crucial collaboration platform for academics and planning practitioners across the Asia-Pacific to formulate a sustainable urban future. The event series began with registration and collection of research abstracts, bringing together innovative thinking from various core committee member countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam, as well as other global delegates. All works were strictly curated into parallel scientific presentation sessions to discuss spatial planning innovation, smart city concepts, and climate crisis adaptation. In addition to serving as a forum for exchanging ideas through special panel discussions with experts from the City Planning Institute of Japan (CPIJ), Korea Planners Association (KPA), Taiwan Institute of Urban Planning (TIUP), and Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association (VUPDA), the international conference also featured strategic meetings between associations.