WhatsApp wraps MSME digital training with Jakarta marketplace backed by trade ministry

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WhatsApp and UKMINDONESIA.ID have concluded a three-city, in-person training programme designed to strengthen digital adoption among Indonesia’s MSMEs, closing with a 100-participant session in Jakarta on 3 December.

The initiative, supported by the ministry of trade, aims to equip traditional market sellers and micro-entrepreneurs with practical skills to build resilience and compete in an increasingly digital and turbulent economic landscape.

Alongside the training, nearly 10,000 MSMEs across Indonesia have received access to the “Buku Saku UMKM Tangguh” through multiple digital channels including Instagram, WhatsApp Channel, and email.

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The sessions focused on helping MSMEs maximise WhatsApp Business, positioning the platform as an accessible gateway for customer engagement, sales conversions, and operational efficiency. Key features such as Product Catalogues, Quick Replies, Status updates, Away Messages, and Click-to-WhatsApp Ads form the backbone of the curriculum, enabling MSMEs to deliver faster, more personalised service directly from their phones.

As part of the wider effort, WhatsApp also hosted Pasar Jajan WhatsApp, a curated pop-up marketplace at Taman Ismail Marzuki showcasing 10 food and beverage MSMEs. The activation serves both as a promotional platform and a community touchpoint, timed to support Indonesia’s Harbolnas (12.12) online shopping day. Visitors sampled a range of local products, from APB Sambal and Mrebes Mili’s spicy specialties to Kopi Hitman Hitam Manis’ coffee selections and Healthree’s gluten-free snacks.

The pop-up drew attendance from government representatives including Indonesia’s trade minister, Budi Santoso, and Jakarta’s head of industry, trade, cooperatives, SMEs office, Elisabeth Ratu Rante Allo, alongside Meta Indonesia country director Pieter Lydian and UKMINDONESIA.ID founder Dewi Meisari Haryanti.

Santoso underscored the government’s alignment with the initiative, stating: “This initiative aligns with the ministry of trade’s commitment to accelerating MSME digital transformation through the use of social media and messaging applications such as WhatsApp as digital storefronts, enabling MSME products to reach wider markets and helping build an inclusive, creative, and globally competitive digital MSME ecosystem.”

“People use WhatsApp to connect with businesses - from asking questions and learning about products to making purchases. We are proud to collaborate with UKMINDONESIA.ID, and to have the support of the ministry of trade and the trade offices of Yogyakarta and Surabaya, in helping more than 700 MSMEs through online and offline training to adopt digital tools and expand their market reach,” Lydian added.

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