Indonesia experienced a significant surge in import activity during April 2026, primarily driven by a sharp rise in oil and gas imports. According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the value of oil and gas imports reached US$ 4.60 billion, marking a substantial 82.52% increase compared to the same period last year.
Pudji Ismartini, Deputy for Methodology and Statistical Information at BPS, explained during a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday (June 2) that the spike was largely fueled by higher volumes of crude oil and refined petroleum products. Specifically, the import value for crude oil climbed by 67.49%, while refined oil imports jumped by 87.76%.
Data reveals that Indonesia’s crude oil supply was sourced primarily from Nigeria, Brazil, and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, refined petroleum products were dominated by shipments from Malaysia, Singapore, and Egypt. This surge in energy imports occurred against the backdrop of rising global energy prices, with BPS reporting a 66.58% year-on-year increase in energy commodity prices, largely pushed by the higher international costs of crude oil and coal.
Reflecting on the broader economic picture, Indonesia’s total import value for April 2026 hit US$ 25.21 billion, a 22.49% rise from April 2025. Non-oil and gas imports also saw a growth of 14.11%, reaching US$ 20.62 billion. On a cumulative basis from January to April 2026, total imports reached US$ 86.51 billion, representing a 13.40% year-on-year increase. During these four months, oil and gas imports rose by 17.58% to US$ 12.93 billion, while non-oil and gas imports grew by 12.70% to US$ 73.58 billion.
Despite the upward trend in imports, Indonesia maintained a trade balance surplus of US$ 89.1 million in April 2026. However, this success is tempered by a persistent deficit in the oil and gas sector, which reached US$ 3.44 billion due to the high costs of crude oil, refined products, and natural gas. When looking at the January-April 2026 period, the cumulative oil and gas deficit totaled US$ 8.52 billion; this was successfully offset by a non-oil and gas surplus of US$ 14.16 billion, keeping the total trade balance in a surplus of US$ 5.64 billion.
BPS also highlighted that the national import growth remains heavily supported by raw materials and auxiliary goods. Throughout the first four months of 2026, the import of these goods reached US$ 61.82 billion, an 11.67% increase compared to last year. The primary contributors to this category included mineral fuels, electrical machinery and equipment, and various chemical products.
Summary
Indonesia saw a substantial 82.52% increase in oil and gas imports in April 2026, reaching a total value of US$ 4.60 billion. This surge was primarily driven by higher volumes of crude oil and refined petroleum products sourced from countries such as Nigeria, Brazil, Malaysia, and Singapore, compounded by rising global energy prices.
Despite a persistent US$ 3.44 billion deficit in the oil and gas sector for April, Indonesia maintained an overall trade surplus of US$ 89.1 million. The nation’s total import growth remains heavily supported by a strong demand for raw materials and auxiliary goods, which rose significantly during the first four months of the year.
