NI Annual Business Inquiry Reporting Units Results 2019

Date published: 31 March 2021

This release contains 2019 provisional and 2018 revised reporting unit results from the Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry (NIABI).

The NIABI is a key resource for measuring the size, performance and structure of the Northern Ireland non-financial business economy. It is a survey of businesses covering the Production, Construction, Distribution and Service industries plus an element of Agriculture and covers roughly two thirds of the total NI economy. Public sector bodies are excluded from the survey.

Further information on survey coverage is contained in the background notes.

Key findings

• In 2019, the income generated by non-financial businesses in Northern Ireland (NI), less the cost of goods and services used to create this income, was estimated to be £26.2 billion. This amount represents the approximate Gross Value Added (aGVA) at basic prices of the NI non-financial business economy, excluding farming and financial services.
• The NI non-financial business economy, as measured by the Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry (NIABI), recorded an increase of £2,308 million (9.7%) in aGVA from 2018 to 2019.
• The key driver of aGVA growth was the NI non-financial Services sector (industry Sections H-S) which increased by £1,354 million (14.7%) between 2018 and 2019.  The majority of aGVA growth in this sector is attributable to the Transport and Storage section (Section H) which increased by £548 million (34.1%).
• Retail and wholesale trade within the distribution sector (Section G) recorded aGVA growth of £614 million (10.9%). There was also growth in the Construction sector (Section F) of £254 million (9.3%).
• The Production sector (Sections B-E) showed an increase in aGVA of £86 million (1.4%) from £6.24 billion to £6.32 billion. Growth in Section B, D and E was partially offset by a decline in the Manufacturing sector (Section C) of £157m (3.3%).
• Turnover in the NI non-financial business economy as a whole increased by £3.2 billion (4.6%) over the year to £72 billion and purchases of goods, materials, energy, water and services increased by £0.2 billion (0.5%) to £46 billion.

The release and other related tables and charts are available from the Annual Business Inquiry webpage.