Māori business sentiment improves as focus shifts to technology and future growth – BNZ survey

New survey data suggest Māori business sentiment lifted over the last 12 months as the Māori business community looks past the tough economy and turns its focus to future growth.

The 2025 BNZ Māori Business Sentiment Survey shows a marked improvement in confidence among respondents. 38% expect general business conditions to improve in the next 12 months, a significant increase on the 26% recorded in 2024. In comparison, the proportion indicating they expect things to get worse has dropped from 38% to 28%.

BNZ Head of Māori Business Whetu Rangi says the data could signal a turning point.

"The past year has been challenging for all New Zealand businesses, but these findings suggest an optimism within the Māori economy, with businesses telling us they're looking past the immediate headwinds and actively planning for future growth."

Technology stands out as a major opportunity. 68% of respondents expect to increase their technology adoption in the next 12 months, up from 58% in 2024.

Rangi says technology and particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) are viewed as critical tools for improving workflow and efficiency, especially with Māori collectives, who are lean on resource and want to improve their productivity.

"Business owners and managers are telling us they want to use these tools to reduce the admin load. This allows their teams to focus on higher value added work, and quicker decision making on activities central to their business success."

However, businesses are seeking guidance on implementation, particularly around protecting data and aligning with tikanga Māori.

"A view that came through in our survey is that cultural integrity is a distinct competitive advantage, with a number of participants noting that their values are often what differentiates them in the market," Rangi says.

While the outlook is brighter, respondents are still managing real pressure. 81% expect costs to increase further, while 49% expect regulatory compliance requirements to rise. These challenges drive the need for the operational efficiencies that technology can provide.

Economic conditions remain the top challenge for 75% of those responding to the survey, but the data reveal a drive to seek new opportunities.

Beyond technology, some respondents highlighted the commercial potential of leveraging relationships and co‑investment to capture value on a larger scale. Others emphasised the need to build stronger governance capability to move beyond basic operations, enabling them to secure investment and compete for larger opportunities and contracts.

Rangi says the Māori business sentiment aligns with the broader economic outlook as inflation stabilises and interest rates ease.

"The timing of this technology adoption is important. As the wider New Zealand economy begins to turn a corner, Māori businesses are doing the hard work now, looking to invest in efficiency and capability so they are ready to lead the charge when the economic recovery accelerates."