ASTANA, Kazakhstan, February 10. The Government of Kazakhstan is working jointly with the business community to expand support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov said, Trend reports via the Kazakh government.
Bektenov made the statement at an expanded Government meeting chaired by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The Prime Minister emphasized that, alongside the modernization of infrastructure and large-scale industrial projects, particular focus will be placed on supporting micro and small businesses.
According to PM, in line with the President’s directives to ensure economic stability, the “Isker Aimaq” program has been approved. This initiative aims to systematize the provision of financial, non-financial, and infrastructure support to micro and small enterprises.
Furthermore, Bektenov highlighted that existing support mechanisms are insufficient to fully realize the potential of SMEs. To address this gap, the Government, in collaboration with the business community, is developing additional financial and regulatory measures.
One of the key initiatives, he said, will be a program to re-equip SMEs with modern equipment. Under a special scheme implemented through the Baiterek holding, entrepreneurs will be able to obtain concessional loans within 10 days to purchase modern machinery without providing additional collateral. The measure is expected to improve business competitiveness and address the issue of outdated production assets.
The Prime Minister also noted that, following the President’s instructions voiced at the National Kurultai, the Government is ensuring a gradual introduction of the new Tax Code. Earlier, it was decided to cancel all tax audits for periods before January 1, 2026. In addition, no liability measures will be applied to micro and small businesses for violations committed in the current year.
According to Bektenov, by the end of 2025, the number of active SMEs in Kazakhstan increased by 5% to over 2.2 million entities. Employment in the sector grew by 3.9% to 4.5 million people, accounting for about 46% of total employment and nearly half of the country’s economically active population. The SME sector’s share in GDP reached 40.5%, while total output amounted to around 73 trillion tenge (around $148.2 billion).