On October 29, Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) announced a target of at least US $45 billion (approximately Rp817 trillion) for nickel downstream product exports in 2026. Data shows that Indonesia's nickel downstream product export value has jumped from about US $3.3 billion in 2017 to about US $40 billion in 2025. As of August 2026, actual exports have reached US $25.6 billion, steadily progressing toward the full-year target.
ESDM official Yan Abrar emphasized that Indonesia is shifting to a "selective downstreaming" strategy, moving away from blind expansion to prioritize projects that are commercially viable, technically applicable, environmentally responsible, and aligned with actual industrial demand. Meanwhile, Indonesia's first Class 1 Nickel brand has been certified by the London Metal Exchange (LME), marking that its processed products meet international standards. In the future, Indonesia plans to extend the nickel value chain to nickel sulfate, precursors, cathodes, and battery cells, creating a complete integrated ecosystem covering mining, manufacturing, recycling, and human resources R&D.
