BPS aims to include more women-owned MSMEs in 2026 Economic Census
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) is collaborating with the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) and PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) to ensure that an increasing number of female MSME entrepreneurs are recorded in the 2026 Economic Census.
BPS Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, in an official statement in Jakarta on Saturday, stated that female entrepreneurs play a vital role in supporting Indonesia’s economic growth and sustaining family welfare. She expressed hope that the partnership with PNM during the census activities would help provide a complete picture of the needs, challenges, and potential of the MSME sector.
This is particularly significant as the State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) operates the PNM Mekaar programme, which provides unsecured business capital loans, alongside mentoring and empowerment for ultra-micro entrepreneurs from underprivileged families, primarily women. Amalia stated that comprehensive participation of MSMEs in the 2026 Economic Census could provide a foundation for the government to devise more effective policies that favour entrepreneurs.
Complete and accurate data will support the formulation of various strategic programmes, ranging from expanding access to financing and providing market information to delivering training better suited to entrepreneurs’ needs. “The most important thing is that these Mekaar women must not be missed in the records, because they actually make an extraordinary contribution to the Indonesian economy. When these Mekaar women are well-recorded, they will have a voice for better economic policies in the future,” said Amalia.
Various indicators show the strengthening contribution of women to the national economy. Throughout 2021-2025, 7.99 million Business Identification Numbers (NIB), or 58.68 per cent of the total NIBs issued, were owned by female entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 56.42 per cent in August 2024 to 56.63 per cent in August 2025. In the creative economy sector, women even dominate the workforce with a proportion reaching 58.39 per cent in 2025.
Minister of PPPA Arifatul Choiri Fauzi stated that the 2026 Economic Census could strengthen women’s empowerment in the economy and produce policies that are more inclusive, targeted, and gender-responsive. “Why is the 2026 Economic Census so important? Because through this census, we can present a more complete picture of the economic activities of the Indonesian people, especially women, as we aim to strengthen women’s empowerment in the economic sector,” said Arifatul.
As a tangible form of support for the implementation of the 2026 Economic Census, PT PNM has completed the census questionnaire for all its organisational units. BPS has received completed documents from PNM’s head office, 58 branch offices, and approximately 4,200 unit offices across Indonesia, resulting in a 100 per cent response rate from PNM.
“The collaboration between BPS, the Ministry of PPPA, and PNM is very significant in strengthening women’s empowerment. Today, women are not just supplementing family economic activities. They have become drivers of the economy, and many have even become the backbone of their families,” said the President Director of PT PNM, Kindaris.