Supported by Nickel, Governor Sherly Says Malut Economy Grows 19 Percent in Quarter I-2026

North Maluku Governor, Sherly Tjoanda Laos (photo: Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

North Maluku Governor, Sherly Tjoanda Laos revealed that his regional economic growth had grown by 19.6 percent in the first quarter of 2026. For information, previously the economic growth in North Maluku in 2025 reached 34 percent on an annual basis or year on year (yoy).

"Last year, economic growth reached 34 percent on an annual basis, and in the first quarter of this year it reached 19.6 percent," said Sherly when speaking at the Kadin UK & Ireland Bilateral Committee, Wednesday, May 3.

According to him, this increase is mainly due to the existence of a downstream program so that it can boost regional economic growth. Moreover, he continued, previously North Maluku was a nickel resource producer which then had an industrial area.

"This started from a province that produces resources to become one of the fastest growing industrial areas in Indonesia," explained Sherly.

Furthermore, Sherly said, in recent years the flow of investment for the nickel processing industry has entered massively into North Maluku so that it is able to increase the added value of nickel commodities. This then encourages North Maluku to become one of the centers of economic growth in the eastern region of Indonesia.

However, Sherly emphasized that the progress of the nickel industry is not only measured through economic growth but also the benefits that are also felt by the community.

"The real question is how much of that growth is felt by local people and the local economy. So, the next phase must focus on wider benefits," he said.

For this reason, Sherly said that his party also encouraged the quality of human resources (HR) so that local people could fill strategic positions in the nickel industrial area.

"We hope that more local people will move from basic labor to positions that require skills; from staff to technicians, supervisors, engineering departments, and managers," said Sherly.