Think tanks, policymakers, diplomats, investors, entrepreneurs, and IT professionals from Nepal and the UK attending the Nepal-UK Tech Forum have agreed to explore opportunities for investment in Nepal’s information technology (IT) sector.
The Forum, held on July 4 in London, was organised by the Nepali Embassy in the UK to promote IT-based business and attract foreign investment.
Addressing the event, Nepali Ambassador to the UK Chandra Kumar Ghimire said Nepal is emerging as a vibrant IT hub. He urged British companies to outsource Nepal’s IT services and consider investing directly in the sector.
British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn remarked that the timing was ideal for British investment in Nepal, especially in IT and renewable energy. He said groundwork was being laid to sign a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the two countries.
“To attract more foreign investment, including from the UK, it is essential to assure smooth repatriation of dividends,” he added.
British MP Alex Baker, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Nepal, called for establishing direct air connectivity between Nepal and the UK.
Speaking at the forum, Sushil Gyawali, CEO of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN), highlighted recent policy, legal, and institutional reforms aimed at improving the country’s foreign direct investment (FDI) climate. He said energy, IT, and infrastructure are Nepal’s top priority sectors, and the country allows 100% FDI in IT.
Gyawali also noted incentives such as tax exemptions of up to seven years and full profit repatriation. He said the government plans to set up IT parks in all seven provinces and establish an IT Promotion Board under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
More than 100 participants took part in panel discussions on topics such as artificial intelligence (AI) as a growth engine, digital trade and UK investment prospects in Nepal’s digital economy among others.
Tim Gocher, Founder of Dolma Impact Fund, expressed confidence in Nepal’s potential to boost productivity through AI and data centres. He noted Nepal’s cool climate, clean energy, and skilled workforce could support world-class data infrastructure.
Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal said Nepal has proven its global competitiveness in IT and digital services. “We are open to joint ventures, e-governance, and partnerships. We invite collaboration in building a shared digital future,” he said.
Anjani Phuyal, CEO of Genese Solution—an IT firm headquartered in the UK—praised the quality of services delivered by Nepali IT professionals. He stressed the need to expand IT infrastructure across all provinces and promote Nepal’s low-cost, high-quality value proposition.
Santosh Koirala, President of the Nepal Association for Software and IT Services Companies (NAS-IT), shared that around 90,000 youths are currently employed in Nepal’s IT sector, which generates roughly $800 million in annual revenue.
“Over 75% of our IT exports currently go to the US. We aim to expand our market to the UK within the next four to five years,” he added.
The forum concluded with a decision to form a Nepal-UK Digital Working Group comprising representatives from both embassies and other stakeholders. The group will follow up on forum discussions and facilitate Nepal’s tech exports and FDI inflow in the coming days.
(RSS)
