Nepal is witnessing steady growth in industrial and business registrations as government efforts to promote investment and entrepreneurship begin to show results. According to the Department of Industry, nearly 10,000 industries have been registered across the country, while the Office of the Company Registrar has recorded over 350,000 companies.
Experts stress the importance of developing and expanding the industrial sector to boost production, income, and employment. They emphasize the need for an investment-friendly environment and greater competitiveness in domestic industrial production.
The Ministry of Finance reported in the Economic Survey for Fiscal Year 2081/82 (2024/25) that, as of Falgun 2081 (mid-February to mid-March 2025), a total of 9,963 industries were registered. Of these, 15 percent were large industries, 22 percent medium, and 63 percent small. The government approved investment totaling Rs 3.2487 trillion in these industries. Large industries received 83 percent of the approved investment, while medium and small industries received 10 percent and 7 percent, respectively. These industries are expected to generate employment for 731,560 individuals by mid-March 2025.
To support industrial growth, the government implemented the Trade Policy 2081 (2024), aiming to promote exports, strengthen the supply system, and improve coordination across sectors to help increase the country’s gross domestic product. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies introduced a loan program for startup enterprises to encourage new business ventures. Officials report that this initiative has produced positive outcomes.
As of Asar 2081 (mid-June to mid-July 2024), the government provided loans totaling Rs 173 million to 165 of the 1,658 startup projects selected. These projects have created an estimated 825 jobs, based on an average of five jobs per project. By Poush 2081 (mid-December to mid-January 2024), the government had collected Rs 12 million in principal and interest repayments from the loan recipients.
According to the ministry, manufacturing industries accounted for 35.84 percent of the registered businesses as of Falgun 2081, service-based industries made up 25.79 percent, and tourism-related industries accounted for 23.10 percent. Infrastructure-related industries represented the smallest portion at only 0.76 percent. In the same fiscal year, the government selected 1,314 projects out of 5,158 startup loan applications, and it has allocated Rs 1 billion for the program in the current fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26).
The Office of the Company Registrar recorded a total of 356,160 companies as of Asar 2081. Private limited companies accounted for 96.56 percent of the total, while other types of companies made up 3.44 percent. During the same period in the previous fiscal year, the number stood at 332,806. By Falgun 2081, the office had registered an additional 14,130 companies.
These figures suggest growing interest in entrepreneurship and industrial development. However, experts caution that long-term success will depend on sustained policy reform, improved infrastructure, and more efficient support systems to ensure that investments lead to tangible economic outcomes.
