In 2024, there were over 1.67 million active non-agricultural private sector companies, a slight increase of 0.2% compared to 2023. The growth in job positions was more marked, reaching 15.72 million jobs (+2.5%), as was that of overall contributions, equal to 171.3 billion euros (+6.1%).
These are the numbers released by INPS which in the Observatory on non-agricultural private sector companies highlights particularly positive performances in the South. In terms of the number of active companies, the most significant growth concerns Campania (+1.7%), Calabria (+1.2%) and Puglia (+1.1%) compared to the national +0.2%. The increase in job positions was 5% in Campania, 4.7% in Calabria, 4.5% in Molise, 4.1% in Sicily. Finally, for contributions, variations of +9.5% were recorded in Campania and Molise, +8.8% in Sicily, +8.5% in Calabria, +8.4% in Abruzzo and +8.2% in Sardinia.
The largest number of active companies is concentrated in Lombardy (284,636), Lazio (172,256), Campania (155,341) and Veneto (141,455). Lombardy also leads in terms of job positions (3,940,170, 25.06% of the total) and contributions, with 51.8 billion euros, equal to 30.2% of the national total. In 2024, small businesses (up to 15 job positions) represent 92.3% of the total, with over 76.5% made up of microbusinesses with up to five jobs. Despite this, these entities occupy 32% of jobs, while companies with 16 or more positions, despite being only 7.7% of the total, absorb 68% of job positions.
From a sectoral point of view, the greatest number of active companies is recorded in “wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles” (357,929 companies, 21.4%), followed by “accommodation and restaurant services activities” (242,367) and “manufacturing activities” (236,567). the sectors that offer the most jobs are “manufacturing activities” with 3,783,000 positions (24% of the total), trade with approximately 2,341,000 positions and the “rental, travel agencies, business support services” sector with just over 1,648,000 positions.
Overall in the North-West regions the sum of contributions amounts to 68.3 billion euros in 2024, equal to 39.9% of the total contributions; followed by the regions of the North-East with 41.2 billion, those of the Center with 36.1 billion, those of the South with 18.4 billion and finally those of the Islands with 7.2 billion euros.
At the level of economic activity sector in 2024, the largest number of active companies is concentrated in «Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles» with 357,929 companies equal to 21.4% of total companies; followed by the sector of «Accommodation and catering services activities» with 242,367 companies, and that of «Manufacturing activities» with 236,567 companies.
In 2024, the entrepreneurial fabric of the non-agricultural private sector confirms a growth trajectory: there are 1,672,637 active businesses, a slight increase compared to the previous year, while the average annual job positions rise to 15,719,018, with an increase of 2.48%. Contributions paid reach 171.3 billion euros, with a growth of more than 6%, a figure that reflects both the resilience of businesses and the stability of the social security system. The South recorded particularly significant increases, with Campania (+1.75%), Calabria (+1.18%) and Puglia (+1.09%) showing expansion dynamics higher than the national average, a sign of an economic energy that is consolidating and moving in a positive direction.
The sectoral scenario confirms the centrality of manufacturing activities, with 3,783,000 positions, equal to 24% of the total, followed by «Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles» with approximately 2,341,000 positions and the «Rental, travel agencies, business support services» sector with 1,648,000 positions, clear indicators of where the employment engine is concentrated today. On a territorial level, Lombardy maintains leadership both in terms of number of companies and contributions paid, followed by Lazio and Veneto. Basilicata, Molise and Valle d’Aosta remain the areas with the lowest entrepreneurial density.
Micro and small businesses continue to represent almost all of the productive fabric, over 92%, despite employing only 32% of workers; while the remaining 68% of employment is concentrated in the 7.7% of more structured companies. Even in the distribution of companies by sector, trade remains the most represented sector, followed by accommodation and catering and manufacturing activities. “These numbers tell the story of a country that in a context of transition shows encouraging signs, a production system that reacts in support of a social security system that remains solid” states President Gabriele Fava.
«But they also tell the effects of a change in the relationship between INPS and companies, built with very clear choices: supervision that dialogues, the introduction of the pre-DURC to prevent critical issues and, more recently, the implementation of the Correctivo Ter to the Business Crisis Code, which allows the Institute to intervene before a crisis becomes irreversible. It’s a different way of being close to the productive world: less defensive bureaucracy, more shared responsibility. INPS does not just carry out checks: it is an ally of growth, an actor that contributes to the stability and development of the economic system.”