Surging Investment Drives Batam's Poverty Rate Down to 3.81%

The influx of investment funds into Batam is being felt by the community, reflected in a declining poverty rate. This was conveyed by the Head of the Batam Business Agency (BP Batam), who also serves as the Mayor of Batam, Amsakar Achmad. “Batam’s poverty rate has fallen from 4.85% to 3.81%, a significant drop, and we received an award from the ministry,” he told CNBC Indonesia on Friday (17/7/2026). Amsakar explained that incoming investment has helped drive inclusive economic growth. “The economic growth we are focusing on is inclusive growth, growth that has an impact on the community is what we hope for,” he said. The economy of Batam City, based on Gross Regional Domestic Product at current prices in 2025, reached Rp 253.64 trillion, and at constant 2010 prices, it reached Rp 144.67 trillion. Batam’s economy grew by 6.76%. Meanwhile, Amsakar revealed that the investment value in Batam soared by 72.38% in 2025 compared to 2024. “For investment figures, the growth is also very significant. In 2024, our investment realisation was Rp 25.44 trillion, and in 2025 it became Rp 44.01 trillion, a growth of 72.83%. Compared to the 2025 target of Rp 36.9 trillion, our realisation was Rp 44.01 trillion,” he said.