Albania’s active businesses hit 130,000, a 19,000 increase in the last decade, but the growth isn’t evenly spread. While some regions thrive, others are seeing a downturn.
The biggest decline in active companies was noted in the southern regions, with Berat, Korça, Fier, and Gjirokastra all suffering losses. These areas lost a combined 1,419 businesses over ten years, with Gjirokastra alone seeing 272 fewer businesses.
On the flip side, Lezha leads the charge with a 39% increase in active businesses, gaining nearly 1,200 new companies. The capital, Tirana, along with Durrës, Kukës, and Vlorë, also posted strong growth, with most of the booming areas being along the coast.
Looking at sectors, the biggest growth has been in services, particularly in IT and communications, which grew by 115%. Accommodation and food services saw a slight increase of 0.8%. Meanwhile, manufacturing growth was more modest, driven mainly by construction, which grew by 44.3%.
However, transportation, storage, and agriculture have taken hits. Dibrë saw a shocking 64.9% decrease in transport and storage businesses, and Vlora struggled with agriculture, marking some of the steepest declines across the country.
