[NPI Daily Review] The Market Was Mainly Driven by Restocking to Meet Immediate Needs; High-Grade NPI Prices Held Steady

Tri Winarno, the Director General of Minerals and Coal (Dirjen Minerba) at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), stated on March 3, 2026, that nickel mining companies are permitted to revise their Production Quotas (RKAB) for 2026. Responding to APNI's claim that a potential 30% increase could occur via July revisions, Tri emphasized that while revisions are allowed under existing regulations, the specific percentage granted will depend on individual company needs and evaluations. These revisions are scheduled to take place in the second half of 2026 (H2 2026), consistent with standard regulatory cycles rather than a specific emergency measure following the recent quota cuts to 260–270 million tons.

As of now, the FOB price of Indonesian MHP nickel was $15,549/mt Ni, and the FOB price of Indonesian MHP cobalt was $49,819/mt Co. MHP payables (against the SMM battery-grade nickel sulphate index) were 85-86, and the MHP cobalt element payable indicator (against SMM refined cobalt (Rotterdam warehouse)) was 91. The FOB price of Indonesian high-grade nickel matte was $15,910/mt Ni.

The Indonesian Nickel Miners Association (APNI) and the Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the "IndoPhil Nickel Corridor," a strategic platform between the world's two largest nickel producers. Signed in Manila on February 12, 2026, the agreement focuses on five key pillars: data and policy governance, industry dialogue, cross-country learning, ESG-based capacity building, and adaptive cooperation mechanisms. This collaboration aims to strengthen the regional nickel supply chain from upstream to downstream while aligning with ASEAN’s sustainable mineral development principles to support the global green energy transition.