Nepal as an emerging Tech Hub

During my recent visit to Kathmandu, I had an opportunity to talk to various media and highlight the huge potential ICT sector offers for Nepal’s development and transformation. During my interview with the state-owned Nepal Television, I highlighted on following issues:

The government of Nepal has declared the decade of 2024-34 as the decade of information technology. The government has an ambitious target of  generating employment for 1.5 million people directly as well as indirectly and export IT services worth NPR 3 trillion over the next ten years. Nepal earned  NPR 67 billion  by exporting ICT enabled services in 2022, according to government figures. 

It may be relevant to recall here that in cooperation with Nepali embassies in London, Delhi and Dhaka, Genese Solution facilitated the organisation of seminars to promote Nepal as an emerging tech hub. Leading IT entrepreneurs, policymakers and officials from those countries took part in those seminars and learnt about Nepal’s potential.

The ICT policy 2072 BS adopted by the Nepal government called for integrating ICT policies in all spheres of governance including education and training. But with the emergence of latest technologies like artificial intelligence and emerging cyber security threats, it is high time the Nepal government revises its policy so as to meet aspirations of Nepali people. These are the areas Nepal government should focus on:

      1. Enhance Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Training: 

Nepal must immediately fortify its cybersecurity infrastructure in light of  growing threats in cyberspace. Bringing together frequent cybersecurity events, like the one Genese Solution recently arranged where experts came together to talk about the newest developments in cybersecurity and best practices, is one way of accomplishing this. The government should also fund specialised training programs for IT professionals  to equip them with the expertise needed for effective defence against cyberthreats.

     2. Foster Innovation and Entrepreneurship:

Nepal needs to create an environment that is conducive to innovation and entrepreneurship in order to encourage the establishment of new enterprises. This can be done through creating incubation centres, giving grants and seed funding to startups, and making connections and networking opportunities easier in order to enable access to international markets. Genese Solution can be extremely valuable in guiding aspiring business owners through the difficulties of establishing and expanding their companies offering mentorship and consulting services.

    3.Expand Digital Literacy and Inclusion:

Encouraging e-governance is essential to guaranteeing that the digital transformation benefits every citizen. Comprehensive digital literacy programs aimed at women, the elderly, and people living in rural areas should be implemented by the government. Nepal can close the digital divide and guarantee that everyone can take advantage of and participate in the digital economy by increasing access to digital tools and services.

Similar government initiatives can be modelled after Mr Balen Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and his recent efforts to offer skill-based training for youth to boost employment and economic development. Online government services, community-based digital literacy workshops, and digital identity schemes can be especially useful in this endeavour.

We have recently seen that Nepali entrepreneurs within Nepal and abroad are making their presence felt locally as well as in global markets. There are thousands of Nepali success stories and we need to nurture them. We must seize the opportunity.