Uzbekistan to Conduct Business Census from 15 October
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan will conduct a business census from 15 October to 30 November 2026 to take stock of operating economic units, determine their actual status and sectoral classification, and update statistical registers of enterprises and organisations. The plans were presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as part of proposals to accelerate reforms in the national statistical system.
The census is being organised to improve the coverage of economic activity amid a significant share of the non-observed economy. According to the data presented, this segment accounts for 23% of Uzbekistan’s economy, equivalent to 246 trillion soums.
Agriculture has the highest share of non-observed economic activity, accounting for 60% of total turnover in the sector.
Problems also remain in recording household incomes. Of the country’s 15.2 million employed people, incomes of 6.5 million, or 42%, are not fully reflected in official statistics.
At the same time, a significant number of registered small and medium-sized businesses are either not actually operating or have ceased their activities entirely. This makes it difficult to obtain an accurate picture of the state of the economy and has created a need to update the relevant statistical registers.
According to the estimates presented, one in every four to five soums of economic turnover currently remains outside official statistics. Bringing this activity into the statistical system is expected to generate additional budget revenues amounting to tens of trillions of soums. This could subsequently create conditions for reducing the overall tax burden.
As part of the census, operating economic units across the country will be inventoried, with their actual status, composition and distribution across economic sectors determined. The information collected will be used to update statistical registers of enterprises and organisations.
Following the presentation, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev instructed officials to ensure the proper organisation of the upcoming business census.
