KATHMANDU, Sept. 20: Foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments in the first two months of the current fiscal year (FY) dropped by 66.39 percent compared to the same period of the previous FY.
Records from the Department of Industry (DoI) show that Nepal received FDI commitments worth Rs 11.12 billion between mid-July and mid-September of FY 2026/27. The amount has been pledged for 328 projects, which are expected to generate 3,447 new jobs. Of the total, 322 projects pledged Rs 9.75 billion through the automatic approval process, while six projects pledged Rs 1.38 billion through the regular approval process.
During the corresponding period of the last FY, the country received FDI commitments amounting to Rs 33.09 billion for 236 projects.
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In a single month, between mid-August and mid-September, foreign investors pledged investments totaling Rs 6.35 billion for 136 new businesses. These projects are expected to generate 983 direct jobs.
In terms of the volume of foreign investment, the tourism sector has emerged as a primary attraction for investors. Of the total foreign investment committed over the two-month period, 34 percent, amounting to Rs 3.74 billion, has been proposed for 70 tourism-related enterprises.
The service sector ranks second, with FDI pledges totaling Rs 3.30 billion, representing 30 percent of the total commitment. The investment is set to flow into 26 enterprises in the sector.
In the energy sector, an investment commitment worth Rs 2 billion, or 18 percent of the total, has been proposed for a single project. Similarly, FDI worth Rs 1.23 billion, or 11 percent, has been proposed for 18 enterprises in the manufacturing sector. Likewise, the agriculture sector is set to receive FDI worth Rs 20 million for a single project.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector led in terms of the number of proposed enterprises. With pledges for 212 enterprises, the ICT sector accounted for 65 percent of the total approved enterprises. FDI worth Rs 816.91 million, or 7 percent of the total, has been proposed for ICT-based enterprises.
