Province

East Nusa Tenggara

Overview Economy

East Nusa Tenggara

East Nusa Tenggara is a province in Indonesia that encompasses a diverse landscape spread across numerous islands in the southern part of the archipelago. Covering an area of 46,452 square kilometers, the province comprises more than 500 islands, with the major ones being Flores, Sumba, and Timor, the largest island in the province.

Administratively, East Nusa Tenggara is divided into 21 regencies and one municipality, namely Kupang, which holds the title for the smallest area, spanning just 152.59 square kilometers, and serves as the capital city of the province. Given its island geography, accessing the capital requires various transportation modes. Land routes are utilized for regencies on Timor island, including Kupang Regency, South Central Timor, North Central Timor, Belu, Malaka, and Kupang City, while other areas rely on sea and/or air travel.

As of 2024, up to 5.6 million reside in the province, with this population primarily consisting of Christians and Catholics, followed by Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists. Additionally, several people in Sumba island also practice the indigenous belief of Marapu.

In terms of demographic makeup, East Nusa Tenggara is equally varied with diverse ethnic groups. This includes the dominant indigenous people of Atoni, Manggarai, Sumba, Solor, Ngada, Timor Leste, Rote, Lio, Alor, and Sawu, alongside Kalimantan, Javanese, Sulawesi, Bugis, West Nusa Tenggara, Papuan, Maluku, Chinese, Balinese, and Batak people.

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East Nusa Tenggara’s economy

East Nusa Tenggara’s economy, based on its 2023 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), experienced a growth of 3.52 percent compared to the previous year, achieving a total of Rp 75.2 billion.

The province’s economy relies heavily on the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, which happens to be the largest contributor to the province’s GRDP with Rp 20.8 billion. The second most prominent economic sector in the province is the wholesale and repair trade, including the repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, which contributed Rp 9.2 billion. Lastly, the construction sector is the third largest contributor to East Nusa Tenggara’s 2023 GRDP, with Rp 7.8 billion.

National strategic projects (PSNs) are also being developed in East Nusa Tenggara, which encompasses sectors such as ports, airports, and dams. In the port sector, the Labuan Bajo Multipurpose Terminal and the development of Kupang Port are underway in the province. Additionally, PSNs such as Komodo Labuan Bajo Airport, Mbay dam, Napun Gete dam, Temef dam, and Manikin dam, and the super-priority tourism destination development program (DPSP) in Labuan Bajo, are also underway.

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Latest News

June 26, 2025

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades "Melki" Laka Lena has officially signed a cooperation agreement with French energy company HDF Energy subsidiary PT HDF Energy Indonesia to develop a green hydrogen ecosystem in East Nusa Tenggara. The signing was carried out in Jakarta on May 28, 2025, as part of the Indonesia-France Business Forum which was also attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.

As part of the collaboration, HDF Energy will invest US$600 million (around Rp9.6 trillion) to build eight renewable energy power plants in several East Nusa Tenggara regions, namely the regencies of East Sumba, Southwest Sumba, North Central Timor, Belu, Rote Ndao, Alor, and Sikka as well as Kupang City. This investment is part of a total investment commitment of US$2.3 billion for the eastern Indonesian region.

Melki emphasized that this initiative is part of East Nusa Tenggara's transformation as a pioneer of renewable energy in Indonesia.

"East Nusa Tenggara wants to prove that the Eastern Indonesian archipelago can be the center of innovation in renewable energy in the world. We're starting from green hydrogen," he said.

The renewable power would use a combination of solar and wind energy combined with hydrogen storage technology, making it a clean, stable and sustainable energy solution. This system could be very suitable for areas far outside Indonesia's industrial centers such as East Nusa Tenggara, which have abundant natural energy potential but minimal infrastructure.

HDF Energy judged the provice as a strategic location to develop global-scale projects, with ideal geographical conditions and strong political support.

"France sees Indonesia, especially East Nusa Tenggara, as a strategic partner in building a sustainable new energy ecosystem," said French Embassy representative Carine Lalmant.

The collaboration also includes a study on the decarbonization of the maritime sector involving the Transportation Ministry and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry and PT PLN as part of the integration of green hydrogen into the national maritime transportation system.

Despite bringing great opportunities, the large-scale energy project also faces challenges related to land management, customary ties, and socio-ecological risks. Several academics and civil society organizations warn of the potential for agrarian conflict and greenwashing if the project is not implemented inclusively. In response, Melki promised the active involvement of local communities in every stage of implementation.

“We don’t want this project to become a symbol of greenwashing. This must belong to the people of East Nusa Tenggara, not just investors. We have agreed with the HDF leadership to involve community leaders from the start,” he concluded.

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