Ministry of UMKM Prepares Free Halal Certification for 500,000 MSMEs

The Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM) is preparing to facilitate free halal certification for around 500,000 MSME players as part of efforts to help meet the halal certification obligation by October 2026. Minister of UMKM Maman Abdurrahman, speaking at the opening of the 2026 National Entrepreneurship Festival in Jakarta, said the programme was prepared in cooperation with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) to broaden business actors’ access to halal certification. Maman stated the government continues to strengthen various empowerment programmes to enhance MSME competitiveness, including through easier access to business legality, financing, training, and product certification. He considers halal certification ownership a crucial factor in increasing consumer confidence while expanding market access for MSMEs. Beyond the halal certification programme, the UMKM Ministry is also continuously reinforcing the entrepreneurship ecosystem to support the utilisation of Indonesia’s demographic bonus. Maman noted that currently around 68 percent of Indonesia’s population is of productive age, out of a total population exceeding 287 million. He said this condition presents a significant opportunity to produce more productive and competitive entrepreneurs. The government is targeting a national entrepreneurship ratio of 3.20 percent by 2026, rising to 3.60 percent by 2029. ‘The spirit of the UMKM Ministry is to ensure every business owner can grow and develop through the various programmes and services presented by the government,’ he said. To support this target, Maman mentioned the UMKM Ministry is also developing the Sapa UMKM application, designed as an integrated service platform for business actors, aimed at reaching around 57 million MSMEs across Indonesia. Through this platform, MSME players can access various services such as financing, certification, business licensing, training, and business development information. Additionally, the government is partnering with 754 business incubator institutions spread across various regions of Indonesia to provide mentoring to aspiring entrepreneurs, novice entrepreneurs, startups, and MSME players.