Will Indonesia Implement Export Duties on Coal-Nickel? ESDM's Response
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has recently released regulations regarding guidelines for determining Benchmark Mineral Prices (HPM) for nickel, bauxite, iron, gold and silver metals, tin, copper, manganese, and titanium.
These regulations are contained in Ministerial Decree of ESDM Number 144.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2026 concerning Amendments to Decree No. 266/2025 on Guidelines for Determining Benchmark Prices for the Sale of Metal Mineral Commodities and Coal.
The regulation, signed by Minister of ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia on 10 April 2026, takes effect today, Wednesday, 15 April 2026. This is intended to increase state revenues.
With the issuance of these new regulations on nickel HPM, will the government still impose export duties on nickel and coal?
Director General of Minerals and Coal (Dirjen Minerba) of the Ministry of ESDM, Tri Winarno, stated that the plan to impose export duties is currently still in the discussion stage.
The government is considering various regulatory options to ensure that the policies adopted remain on target for the industry and the state.
“It’s still under discussion,” he said when met at the DPR RI Building, Jakarta, on Wednesday (15/4/2026).
The government is also continuously evaluating several alternative policies that have previously been socialised to mining business actors. Including other options so that the state obtains income from the minerals and coal sector.
“I’m saying there are other options as well. Other options that we socialised yesterday,” he emphasised.
Previously, Minister of ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that the government is studying plans to implement export duties on coal to processed nickel products, particularly Nickel Pig Iron (NPI).
According to Bahlil, this is done as an effort by the government to increase state revenues amid the current global uncertainties.
“Because in the country’s condition like this, we have to look for many alternative sources of income. One of them is because we encourage the imposition of export taxes on downstreaming products,” said Bahlil when met at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, quoted on Monday (30/3/2026).
He explained that his side is still calculating and studying the appropriate formulation for the implementation of export duties from NPI products, including the scheme and the tariff rate.
“NPI products from nickel, we’re calculating. We’re calculating this. Once again, I’m calculating the formulation for the imposition of the NPI tax,” he stated.