KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Nepali Congress (NC) President Gagan Thapa has reaffirmed his strong commitment to taking Nepal’s information technology (IT) sector to the global stage.
Referring to a statement he made a few months ago at a political event in Kirtipur—where he said it was possible to earn Rs 300,000 to 400,000 per month working on a laptop from the hills of Kirtipur—Thapa clarified that the comment, which at the time sparked laughter and online trolling, was not an unrealistic dream but based on a concrete plan.
Traversing Ilam hills on bicycles
“I was not exaggerating. I had a plan then, and I still do. During the previous government, we implemented IT reforms through ordinances, which produced immediate positive results,” he said. Thapa also highlighted the ‘Digital Nepal Framework’ announced in 2019 and recalled declaring 2024–2034 as the ‘IT Decade’, with targets of IT exports worth Rs 3 trillion, 500,000 direct jobs, and one million indirect jobs over ten years.
He expressed confidence that these targets could be made even more ambitious within five years, projecting IT and digital service exports worth Rs 400 billion, creation of over 200,000 direct jobs, expansion of more than 200 Nepali IT companies abroad, and at least 3–5 IT firms listed on the stock exchange.
Citing previous legal reforms, Thapa mentioned amendments to a 60-year-old law that opened the IT sector to foreign investment, allowing more than four companies to invest abroad. He added that removing the foreign investment ceiling of Rs 20 million and implementing automatic approval attracted investment in 384 companies within a year, proving that even small reforms can bring significant change.
“We have a habit of starting initiatives but losing momentum midway. This time, we will not let that happen. We will continue previous reforms and move forward step by step. Nepal can truly become a digital hub within five years. This is not rhetoric—it is a working plan. We must act without wasting time,” Thapa emphasized.
