Story perspectives

Turkmen Thaw Sparks Wabrum E-Commerce Launch

5/3/2026

Summary

Seyitmuhammedov Launches Wabrum

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s modest thaw let entrepreneur Azat Seyitmuhammedov start e-commerce startup Wabrum in Ashgabat.
Seyitmuhammedov, a 38-year-old father of six, runs Wabrum delivering Turkish clothes and shoes nationwide.
Turkmenistan, home to about 7 million people, seeks visa simplification, WTO membership and broader economic diversification.
Despite a censored internet, users reach TikTok and Instagram via VPNs, making breakdancing mainstream.

Summary

Velmuradova Promotes Luxury

Enejan Velmuradova opened an Instagram account in 2020 to promote her luxury travel agency for wealthy Turkmens.
Her city-centre office displays social-media certificates and fridge magnets from around the world, indicating international links.
Velmuradova said she welcomes Turkmenistan’s gradual opening because it enables services like her travel-booking business.
Turkish firms dominate Turkmenistan’s foreign sector, with the decade-old e-commerce firm Wabrum operating from an open-plan office that shows online business growth.

Summary

Turkmen Officials Censor

Turkmen officials say the censored internet is needed to block militant Islamist content.
A Western diplomat reports elite interest in reform and a modest rise in personal freedoms.
Government data list a 7.7 million population and plans to simplify visas, join the World Trade Organization, and diversify the economy.
Foreign investors face difficulty because of dual exchange rates and opaque politics.

Summary

Bayramgulyyev Breakdance

Coach Muhammet Bayramgulyyev teaches breakdancing to teenagers at an Ashgabat sports school in his spare time.
He notes the dance style originated in New York and was largely underground in Turkmenistan during his youth.
Teens record their routines on smartphones for TikTok in upscale Ashgabat malls, cheered by friends.
Female participants often wear red folk-inspired uniforms required of university students, blending tradition with modern dance.

History

Historical Context

After declaring independence on 27 October 1991, Turkmenistan’s Niyazov instituted a state-controlled economy that lifted GDP per capita only 3 % to about $1,200 by 1995, while the country built the world’s fourth-largest natural-gas reserves. Decades of Turkish-dominated trade and modest visa reforms now enable entrepreneurs like Azat Seyitmuhammedov to launch e-commerce firms such as Wabrum, reflecting the lingering post-1991 liberalization drive.

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Seyitmuhammedov Launches Wabrum

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s modest thaw let entrepreneur Azat Seyitmuhammedov start e-commerce startup Wabrum in Ashgabat.
Seyitmuhammedov, a 38-year-old father of six, runs Wabrum delivering Turkish clothes and shoes nationwide.
Turkmenistan, home to about 7 million people, seeks visa simplification, WTO membership and broader economic diversification.
Despite a censored internet, users reach TikTok and Instagram via VPNs, making breakdancing mainstream.

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