Графика: raem.kz
Nurlan Zhakupov declared nearly 806 million tenge for 2022–2024, but that figure does not reveal his salary. It covers income on which individuals must pay tax themselves. Samruk-Kazyna published the figures in January 2026, Kursiv reports (kz.kursiv.media). Possible sources of this income include investments and property transactions.
How much Nurlan Zhakupov declared
Zhakupov reported 805.8 million tenge in his declarations over three years. More than half of that amount was for 2022.
| Year | Declared income |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 422.1 million tenge |
| 2023 | 186.5 million tenge |
| 2024 | 197.2 million tenge |
| Total | 805.8 million tenge |
Zhakupov took over as head of Samruk-Kazyna in April 2023. His income for 2022 predates his appointment to lead the fund.
Why the declaration does not reveal his salary
The published figures cover income on which individuals pay tax themselves. This may include income from investments or property transactions. These are possible sources, rather than a confirmed breakdown of Zhakupov’s income.
The salary of the fund’s management board chairman has not been publicly disclosed. It is therefore inaccurate to present the entire 805.8 million tenge as pay for his work at Samruk-Kazyna.
What payments to the fund’s executives reveal about his salary
In 2023, the fund stopped reporting remuneration for members of its management board and board of directors separately. Its reports give a combined figure for payments to executives at the holding company and its subsidiaries.
According to figures from the Center for Investigative Journalism cited by Kursiv, these payments totaled around 7.6 billion tenge a year in 2023–2025. This figure cannot establish Zhakupov’s personal income: it covers executives at different companies within the group.
What a billion tenge in payments to KTZ executives means
Remuneration for KTZ’s key management personnel totaled 1,036 million tenge in 2025. The company reported 816 million tenge a year earlier. Both figures cover a group of executives, rather than one person.
Yelzhas Otynshiyev took over as head of KTZ on July 20, 2026. The payments for 2025 predate his appointment as chairman of the rail operator’s management board.
What is known about the executives’ detention
The National Security Committee (KNB) said Zhakupov and Otynshiyev were detained on November 11 on suspicion of a corruption offense, Vlast reports (vlast.kz). The agency gave no details, citing Article 201 of the Criminal Procedure Code. It restricts the disclosure of information from pretrial investigations.
The report of the detention of the heads of the fund and KTZ does not establish their guilt. Declared income alone also does not prove that a bribe was received.
What to check when comparing incomes
The 805.8 million tenge comes from Zhakupov’s declarations over three years. The 1,036 million tenge represents total payments to KTZ executives for 2025. These figures cover different recipients and periods.
If you are comparing executives’ incomes, first check the period and who the payments cover. Then check exactly what is being reported: salary, income listed in a declaration or total payments to executives. We explained who must file an income declaration and when in our article on Form 270.
