Pandemic Drives Digitalisation Among 269,000 Businesses in Yogyakarta
Acting Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) for the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Endang Tri Wahyuningsih, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic, which paralysed various sectors, also transformed parts of the economic structure in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. According to her records, the pandemic has enabled at least 269,000 business actors in the region to leap into the digital ecosystem through e-commerce platforms.
“The demands for survival during the pandemic have triggered the massive emergence of online business units in Yogyakarta,” said Endang in Yogyakarta on Tuesday, 7 April 2026.
Endang revealed that this digital transformation not only serves as an economic lifeline in Yogyakarta but also makes a significant contribution to the region’s economic growth. The economic growth in Yogyakarta reached the highest figure on Java Island at 5.94% year-on-year (yoy) in 2025. “So, behind the COVID-19 pandemic, it actually brought its own blessings to Yogyakarta.”
The phenomenon of mass digitalisation among business actors behind the pandemic, said Endang, is the main focus of BPS DIY in preparing for the 2026 Economic Census (SE). This decennial data collection will use the latest 2025 Indonesian Standard Industrial Classification (KBLI), which aligns with United Nations (UN) international standards.
In addition to capturing the explosion of the digital economy, BPS DIY will also examine environmental economic aspects, such as the Green Economy (Green GRDP) and Blue Economy. In the previous census, a decade ago, the potential of these two environmental aspects was not fully captured in the business field codes.
BPS has scheduled the census to take place from May to August 2026 and will cover all sectors, from financial services to agriculture with business entities.
Head of the Regional Development Planning, Research, and Innovation Agency (Bapperida) DIY, Danang Setiadi, said that accurate data on business units and employment absorption from the BPS census is crucial as a basis for more micro and precise development policies. “We want more micro information so that the policies taken are truly on target for business actors,” said Danang.