Strengthening synergy in Sharia financing is one of the key priorities in developing the Sharia economic and financial ecosystem in Java. This topic was discussed at the Java Regional Sharia Financing Forum (SHAFF), held in Surabaya on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
The event was part of the 2026 Java Sharia Economy Festival (FESyar) series organized by Bank Indonesia. The forum brought together stakeholders from regulatory bodies, the banking sector, academia, and the Islamic economic and financial ecosystem to strengthen coordination and discuss the development of Islamic financing in the Java region.
Strengthening financing is a crucial component in driving the development of the Islamic economy because access to financing is not only related to the financial sector but also serves as a link between financial institutions and productive economic activities, including businesses and the real sector.
The IAEI Central Indonesia Coordinator, Dr. Imron Mawardi, believes that the development of Islamic financing needs to be directed toward better aligning with the needs of the productive sector. According to him, Islamic financing has significant potential to contribute to community business development if supported by an integrated ecosystem.
“It is not enough for Islamic financing to grow solely in terms of disbursement. What is more important is how this financing can connect with the real sector, strengthen business capacity, and create a broader economic impact. Therefore, synergy between the financial industry, the government, academia, and business actors is crucial,” said Imron Mawardi.
He added that strengthening the financing ecosystem must go hand in hand with improving the financial literacy and capacity of business actors. In this way, Islamic finance becomes not merely a financial instrument but can function as part of a strategy for the economic empowerment of the community.
“We need to build an ecosystem that makes Islamic finance increasingly accessible, understandable, and usable by business actors. In this way, the growth of Islamic finance can make a more tangible contribution to economic growth and community welfare,” he concluded.
The involvement of the IAEI is crucial for bridging the development of knowledge, research, policy, and practices in the Islamic economy. The Java Regional SHAFF is expected to strengthen cross-stakeholder collaboration while promoting Islamic finance to become more inclusive, productive, and aligned with economic development needs at both the regional and national levels.
