Foreign Investment Commitments Cross NPR 39 Billion in Six Months

Foreign investment commitments in Nepal have increased significantly during the first six months of the current fiscal year. According to the Department of Industry, foreign investors committed more than NPR 39.23 billion in 475 industries from mid-July to mid-January. In comparison, during the same period of the previous fiscal year, foreign investment commitments amounted to NPR 25.78 billion across 354 industries, indicating a substantial rise in investor confidence.

Data shows that during the six-month period, foreign investment commitments were recorded in 7 large-scale, 8 medium-scale, and 460 small-scale industries. In the month of mid-January alone, investment commitments were received for 36 small industries. These investments are expected to generate employment opportunities for approximately 20,122 people, contributing positively to Nepal’s economic growth and job creation.

Monthly figures reveal that foreign investment commitments stood at NPR 597.5 million in mid-July, surged sharply to NPR 33.09 billion in mid-August, and then moderated in subsequent months. Commitments amounted to NPR 2.04 billion in mid-September, NPR 1.54 billion in mid-October, and NPR 1.91 billion in mid-November, reflecting a steady inflow of foreign investment throughout the period.

Sector-wise, the information technology sector attracted the highest number of investment commitments, with 257 industries receiving foreign investment approvals. However, in terms of total investment value, the agriculture sector ranked first, with NPR 21.88 billion committed across 13 industries. The manufacturing sector received NPR 2.03 billion, the tourism sector NPR 10.54 billion, and the service sector NPR 3.46 billion in foreign investment commitments.

Additionally, the number of foreign nationals seeking business visas for investment purposes in Nepal has also increased. During the six-month period, 1,229 investors applied for business visa recommendations. Although the number of applicants was higher in the same period of the previous fiscal year, the volume and scale of foreign investment commitments this year have shown a notable improvement.