Babel Govt Empowers UGM Students to Help UMKM Get NIB

PANGKALPINANG — The Babel provincial government is empowering UGM students to help UMKM owners get NIB and handle halal certification in the region. The program was announced by the Bangka Belitung Islands Province Cooperatives and MSMEs Office on Monday, when UGM students taking part in the Community Service-Learning and Empowerment Program, known as KKN-PPM, began receiving business mentoring material.

The target is straightforward: village businesses should not stop at selling products. They also need legal identity and wider market access. For business owners on the ground, the NIB often becomes the first gate to government programs, financing, training, and broader sales opportunities.

UGM students become a bridge to village businesses

Secretary of the Babel Cooperatives and MSMEs Office Denny Elyasa said UGM students assigned to KKN-PPM activities in Bangka Belitung hold a strategic position as education and community support agents. In his view, the students will not only stay in villages to carry out campus-designed service agendas, but also step in to help solve business problems faced by residents.

“They will go directly into the community, and we are equipping them with various materials so they can actively participate in empowering MSME players in the villages where they are placed,” Denny said in Pangkalpinang on Monday.

The Babel provincial government then held a socialization session and a short training on the same day. The material was designed so students could understand the basic licensing process, explain the value of an NIB, and offer simple but relevant early assistance.

This matters because many micro businesses in villages still operate with production skills alone. Administrative matters often lag behind. Without tidy legality, they can struggle to access assistance programs, financing, and other government facilities.

Why the NIB matters for UMKM

Denny stressed that every UMKM player needs an NIB as a legal business identity. The document is not just a number. It is an official identifier that makes it easier for business owners to enter a more orderly business ecosystem.

In his explanation, the NIB opens access to various government programs, financing, training, and market expansion. For small business owners, a single document can open the door. Without it, many programs stop at the information stage.

That is why Babel does not want KKN students to stop at general outreach. They are equipped with practical material so they can help village UMKM owners understand what needs to be prepared, which documents are required, and where the licensing process should be handled. That approach makes the service work feel more concrete in the field.

Denny said student activity must produce real and lasting impact. Not just ceremonial work. He wants KKN students to trigger more village UMKM players to secure proper business legality and become better prepared to grow.

Halal certification is part of the mentoring package

Beyond the NIB, Babel also included halal certification as an important topic in the training package. For UMKM players, especially those in food, beverage, and processed goods, halal status carries economic value and consumer trust.

Denny explained that the materials covered general understanding of halal certification, halal product assurance, submission mechanisms, and facilitation programs for UMKM halal certification. That way, students have a basic foundation to explain the path business owners need to follow if they want to speed up product legality.

“We also provided material related to halal certification to the students, from the general understanding of halal certification, halal product assurance, submission mechanisms, to facilitation programs for UMKM halal certification,” he said.

The material matters because many local UMKM players have strong products but have not fully met the standards required by modern markets. Once legality and certification are prepared, their sales reach can widen. Opportunities in retail, online platforms, and interregional partnerships open up.

University-government collaboration for the local economy

The program is part of a collaboration between the Babel provincial government and UGM to push UMKM transformation toward businesses that are more advanced, legal, and competitive. The regional government sees students as a fitting partner because they are close to the community, bring field energy, and can bridge government technical language with residents’ needs.

UGM KKN-PPM students in 2026 are also expected to serve as UMKM empowerment ambassadors in the villages where they are assigned. Their role includes expanding information about easier business licensing and the importance of halal certification for entrepreneurs.

At the village level, the impact can be felt directly. Business owners who once focused only on production can start organizing their administration. Those who did not know how to apply for an NIB can get an initial guide. And those who still do not understand halal certification can begin to learn the path. Small steps. But decisive ones.

“With this knowledge, students are expected to be able to deliver programs that bring real benefits to the community, strengthen the MSME ecosystem, and support inclusive and sustainable regional economic growth,” Denny said.

With this mentoring model, the regional government is placing strong hope in students as village drivers. One village can begin with a few businesses that follow licensing rules. From there, the effect spreads. Legal compliance rises, market trust strengthens, and the local economy gets a firmer footing.

The next focus is implementation in the field. If the mentoring runs smoothly, more Babel UMKM players can enter the formal track. And for small business owners, that is not just an administrative matter. It is a ticket to grow.

Focus on helping UMKM get NIB in village assignments

This Babel government program places students at the front line of education, while the regional government prepares materials, guidance, and technical mentoring. The target is simple but important: the more UMKM players get NIB, the easier it becomes for them to enter a healthier and better-protected business ecosystem.

In Bangka Belitung, this approach could serve as an example of how universities and local governments can complement each other. Students learn in the field, residents receive practical help, and UMKM players get a clearer path to move up a level. One legal document. One first gate.

And for many small businesses, that gate often opens only after someone is willing to explain it patiently.