TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 14. In the first quarter of 2026 (from January through March), 22,200 new small enterprises and microfirms (excluding dehkan and farm enterprises) were established in Uzbekistan.
Data obtained by Trend from the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan shows that the trade sector emerged as the leader in entrepreneurial activity, with 8,102 new units registered during this period.
This was followed by agriculture, forestry, and fisheries with 2,956 new businesses, the industrial sector with 2,610 units, and the accommodation and food services sector with 1,942 units.
These figures align with the broader growth of the small business sector, which accounted for 45.6% of Uzbekistan's GDP in the first quarter of 2026. As of April 1, 2026, the total number of active small business entities in the country exceeded 1.2 million.
The small business sector continues to be a major driver of the national economy, contributing significantly to fixed capital investment, which reached 105.1 trillion soums ($8.6 billion) in the same period.
