ITESO: Informality, the Unexpected Driver of National GDP
Analysis reveals that Mexico's economic growth in 2025 was largely fueled by the informal sector, challenging traditional economic metrics.
Mexico closed 2025 with an economic paradox that is beginning to redefine the understanding of national growth: the economy advanced, but a significant portion of the momentum did not come from the formal productive apparatus.
According to the Economic Analysis Bulletin from the ITESO School of Business —based on measurements from INEGI’s National Accounts System— the Gross Value Added (GVA) of the informal economy grew 2.3% annually, while national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by only 0.7%. This disparity implies that, although the
represents approximately a quarter of the country’s aggregate activity, it accounted for about 80% of the economic growth observed during the year. This data opens a deeper discussion: Mexico maintains economic expansion, but with a growing contribution from activities outside the institutional framework. Learn more.
Economic Growth Loses Speed and Informality Gains Weight in Mexico
The report shows that economic performance in 2025 was uneven.
National Comparison:
| Indicator | 2025 Annual Growth |
|---|---|
| Total GDP | 0.7% |
| Informal Economy (GVA) | 2.3% |
| Informal Primary Activities | 3.7% |
| Informal Secondary Activities | 2.5% |
| Informal Tertiary Activities | 2.2% |
The performance of secondary activities is particularly relevant. While the formal component of industrial sectors faced pressure, informality associated with these activities maintained positive growth.
Informality is No Longer Just Micro-Business: It Also Exists Within Formal Companies
One of the document’s most relevant methodological findings is how INEGI distinguishes between two broad components:
- Informal Sector: Economically unestablished units.
- Other Modalities of Informality: Employment without social security within formal companies, agricultural activities, and paid domestic work.
Informality can no longer be understood solely as self-employment or street vending; it also appears within structured production chains.
Sectoral Breakdown:
| Activity | Informal Economy | Informal Sector | Other Forms | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primaries | 3.7% | NA | 3.7% | |
| Secondaries | 2.5% | 5.2% | -4.0% | |
| Terciaries | 2.2% | 1.4% | 3.1% | 2.3% |
Jalisco Ranks Among Economies with the Highest Relative Weight of Informality
In terms of participation in national informal Gross Value Added, Jalisco was among the entities with the highest contribution.
National Ranking:
| Entity | Participation |
|---|---|
| State of Mexico | 11.4% |
| Mexico City | 10.2% |
| Jalisco | 7.5% |
| Nuevo León | 5.9% |
| Veracruz | 5.3% |
This does not necessarily mean that Jalisco is one of the most informal entities in proportion to its economy, but rather that it has a significant absolute weight within the country’s informal economic volume.
The entry
first appears on Líder Empresarial.
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