KATHMANDU, March 16: Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nepal surged sharply in the month of Falgun (mid-February to mid-March). According to government data, Nepal received a total of Rs 44 billion in FDI commitment from mid-July to mid-March (Shrawan to Falgun), with Rs 17 billion committed in the last month alone.
The Department of Industry (DoI) reported that FDI commitments in the review month were made for 40 industries, including 39 small and one medium-sized enterprise. In the corresponding period last year, FDI commitments stood at Rs 6.47 billion.
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FDI commitments amounted to around Rs 2 billion in Poush (mid-December to mid-January), while they stood at Rs 1.06 billion in Magh (mid-January to mid-February). FDI commitments totaled Rs 2.11 billion and Rs 2.22 billion in Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December) and Kartik (mid-October to mid-November), respectively.
In the current fiscal year, the highest number industries registered were in tourism and information technology sectors. Out of 427 registered industries, 180 belong to the tourism sector, while 154 are related to information technology.
In terms of investment, the service sector accounts for 50 percent of the commitments, while tourism makes up 40 percent. The manufacturing sector represents 6 percent, with information technology and agriculture each make up 2 percent.
With the rise in commitments, the number of people arriving in Nepal on business visas has also increased. As of mid-March in the fiscal year 2024/25, a total of 2,407 individuals have been granted business visas, compared to 1,592 investors during the same period last year.
