Kazakhstan's Economy Grows 4.1% as Non-Oil Sectors Expand

Kazakhstan's economy experienced growth of 4.1% in the first seven months of 2026, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS). This rate is consistent with the first half of the year, despite a decline in oil production by 8.9%. The non-oil sector showed an estimated expansion of 5.4%, which contrasts with the drop in oil output.

Manufacturing was one of the strongest-performing sectors, growing 9% over the seven months. This growth rate is higher than that of other major sectors, including food production at 13.9% and building materials at 9.4%. Construction expanded by 15.3%, while transport and warehousing rose 7.4%, trade increased 5.9%, agriculture grew 5%, and communications increased 4.3%.

Economist Ruslan Sultanov noted that growth is becoming more distributed across the economy, rather than being driven solely by oil production. He emphasized that high growth rates in individual industries do not necessarily mean they make an equally large contribution to GDP. The quality of this growth will be a key point of assessment for the economy.

The changing composition of growth reflects Kazakhstan's gradual economic diversification, including stronger industrial capacity, development of transport infrastructure, support for domestic producers and small and medium-sized businesses, and increased investment in non-oil sectors. Oil extraction accounted for 7.8% of GDP in 2025.