Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network's "big boss" Naomi Anstess says the First Nations economy in the Top End still faces significant barriers despite recent growth.

Ms Anstess said one of the key improvers for Indigenous business owners in the Territory had been "Blak-on-Blak purchasing".

"There has been a push in the last five years from Aboriginal people in business to be really brave and take their Aboriginality and use it as they rise up… and look after each other," she told the Indigenous Business Review.

"I've seen a real vibrancy coming out in the Blak Business community and a celebration of collective movement.

"But the changing dynamic in the Territory is Blak businesses coming together to work together to understand there is a place for us all in the market."

The proud Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay and Torres Strait Islander (Erub/Darnley Island) woman said the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NTIBN) was set up to support current and emerging Indigenous businesses by offering organisational development, industry-based development, business support, promotional and collaboration opportunities.

But she said one of the network's core functions was the certification of First Nations businesses.

"We have one of the most robust certification processes in the country," she said.

"We have never acknowledged 50/50 enterprises. We've always had a definition of majority ownership, so 51 per cent as a minimum including management and control.

"So, one of the things that is different between us and everybody else is that we demand a certificate of Aboriginality with a common seal."

Ms Anstess, who is a passionate advocate for Closing the Gap, said the number one barrier for First Nations people wanting to start up a business was still access to capital.

Her comments echo the findings of a Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs released in November, which found First Nations people and businesses were significant contributors to the national economy, but restricted access to finance and capital was limiting their growth and financial wellbeing.

The committee, supported by research from the University of Melbourne, found First Nations businesses had a higher social return on investment than most other organisations in mainstream industries.

For every dollar of revenue spent, First Nations enterprises created approximately $4.41 of economic and social value.

Indigenous businesses were also 40 to 100 times more likely to employ First Nations people.

First Nations businesses contributed $16.1 billion in revenue annually, paid $4.2b in wages and employed more than 116,000 people.

"We can't get anywhere without access to capital," Ms Anstess said. "Even though there are some special grant lanes for that, they really don't provide the impact we need for business growth.

"The second thing is access to work and projects - so some mob feel there is a bias in procurement – and a lack of faith by the procurers that Aboriginal people can't deliver quality, which is completely false."

Ms Anstess said the NTIBN was one of the only Aboriginal entities in Australia that owns and delivers a business and employment hub.

She said the hub offers business and employment capability building, training and professional development opportunities.

"In terms of helping their business start, we do a form of mapping and ideation then we refer them out to our special services team," she said.

"So, we've got a special service provider panel which has a lot of our members on it for a circular economy effect.

"We've got people who can do financial feasibility, accounting, payroll, HR advice. We can do anything a business needs, as long as they ask."

The NTIBN has also garnished a reputation for holding some of the biggest events in the Northern Territory calendar including the Blak Business Awards.

The annual awards which were held on the sacred grounds of Arrernte country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) last year, celebrate and support First Nations business excellence.

"We've also got the Aboriginal Economic Development Forum, which we took over from the government six years ago and that will be occurring again this year in Darwin," Ms Anstess said.

"We also run a range of other events like trade fairs, and we've got a Black Jobs Expo in March.

"So, we're working really hard on that space, and we do a lot of work running workshops and training and development for their business owners and their employees."