Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The government approved foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments worth Rs 40.28 billion in the first seven months of the current fiscal year 2025/26.
This marked a growth of 50.07% in terms of commitment amount compared to the data of the same period of the previous fiscal year. In the first seven months of 2024/25, Nepal had received FDI commitments of Rs 26.84 billion for 386 projects.
According to the Department of Industry, a total of 524 FDI projects were approved during the review period. Of them, 351 projects with proposed commitments of Rs 3.25 billion were cleared through the automatic route. Another 173 projects, which have pledged to invest Rs 37.03 billion, were approved through the traditional approval route.
These ventures have pledged to create 20,896 jobs, according to the report.
In the seventh month (mid-January to mid-February) alone, 49 projects with an investment commitment of Rs 1.04 billion received approval. These projects have pledged to create 687 jobs. Thirty-seven of these projects, with an investment commitment of Rs 400.95 million, were approved under the automatic route, while 12 projects pledging to invest Rs 606.28 million were approved through the traditional route.
The government also approved share purchase and share subscription agreements worth Rs 4.26 million in 34 projects over the past seven months. Likewise, 33 Technology Transfer Agreement (TTA) proposals were endorsed during the period.
Foreign direct investment approvals in the first seven months of FY 2025/26 show a strong concentration in a few key sectors, both in terms of the number of projects and capital commitments. A total of 524 projects were approved during the review period, with combined commitments amounting to Rs 40.28 billion.
The ICT sector dominated in terms of project numbers, accounting for 288 approvals, or more than half of the total projects. However, the sector attracted only Rs 1.25 billion in commitments.
Tourism emerged as the second-largest sector by number of projects, with 150 approvals and total commitments of Rs 10.86 billion. Manufacturing secured FID commitments of Rs 2.40 billion for 35 projects.
Agro and forestry-based industries recorded just 14 projects but attracted the largest share of investment in monetary terms. The sector attracted FDI commitments worth Rs 21.91 billion in the review period. The Services sector saw 34 projects with commitments of Rs 3.54 billion. Energy attracted only one project worth Rs 184.25 million, while the mineral sector recorded two projects with commitments of Rs 115 million.
