Kazakhstan’s small and medium-sized business (SME) sector continued to strengthen its role in the national economy in 2025, with its contribution to GDP reaching 40.9%, up from 32.9% in 2020. These figures were presented at the 100th meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission on the Regulation of Entrepreneurial Activity, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin, Qazinform News Agency cites the press service of the Kazakh Government.
The commission reviewed the year’s progress in SME development, discussed further measures to reduce the administrative burden on businesses, and approved legislative initiatives aimed at tightening oversight in the areas of plant quarantine, the grain market, and electronic lotteries.
According to Vice Minister of National Economy Yerlan Sagnayev, as of January 1, 2026, Kazakhstan had 2.4 million registered SMEs, of which 2.2 million were active. Over the past five years, the share of active enterprises has risen from 84.3% to 92.2%, with small businesses accounting for the overwhelming majority of the sector.
Small-sized enterprises contributed 33.7 percentage points to GDP, while medium-sized enterprises accounted for the remaining 7.2 percentage points. The government has continued its efforts to simplify business regulation through digitalization and the reduction of administrative procedures.
In 2025, the overall number of business inspections declined by 4.9%. Inspections to verify compliance with qualification requirements dropped sharply - from 1,173 to 358, while both unscheduled and other types of inspections also decreased. Several ministries, including those responsible for emergency situations, internal affairs, and agriculture, shortened the processing time for certain permits, allowing entrepreneurs to save between six and eighteen days.
Work is also underway to reduce reporting requirements: 79 of the country’s 192 reporting instruments have already been automated, and ten reporting forms in the E-Minfin system have been converted to electronic format. The commission also considered amendments designed to reduce the risks associated with excessive participation in electronic instant and draw lotteries.
The proposed changes were prompted by citizen complaints and reports of substantial financial losses in several regions. Under the new rules, electronic draw lotteries in “loft parks” could be held no more than once every thirty minutes instead of every three minutes.
In addition, limits would be placed on the number of electronic instant lottery tickets a person may purchase within a specified period. Agricultural regulation was another key topic. Following the abolition of mandatory quarantine certificates for the interregional transportation of agricultural products in 2025, authorities identified an increased risk of the uncontrolled spread of quarantine pests and diseases.
The proposed amendments would restore the requirement for such certificates and introduce administrative penalties for non-compliance, with fines varying according to the status and size of the offender. The government also plans to reinstate annual inspections of grain storage facilities before the arrival of each new harvest.
Systematic inspections have not been conducted since 2018, limiting the authorities’ ability to monitor the full grain-handling process, from reception and drying to storage and shipment. Officials believe that the renewed inspections and accompanying liability measures will help ensure the safe storage and uninterrupted acceptance of grain.