KATHMANDU, March 11: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $40 million concessional loan to help the Government of Nepal accelerate its digital transformation agenda and expand access to high‑impact digital services for citizens and businesses, ADB said in a press release.
The Nepal Digital Transformation Project—the first in South Asia to be cofinanced under the ADB–World Bank Full Mutual Reliance Framework (FMRF)— will strengthen the country’s data hosting and cybersecurity infrastructure to enhance government-wide digital security and resilience, along with core digital public infrastructure for modern, user‑centric services, the press release further stated. It will support key initiatives such as developing an integrated citizen service portal, improving the national social registry, establishing a secure government-wide data exchange platform for safe and efficient information sharing, and digitalizing about 11 high‑impact government services.
Two-day Huawei Digital Nepal Conclave 2022
“Digital transformation is no longer optional—it is critical for improving public service delivery and supporting Nepal’s economic development,” the press release quoted ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois as saying. “The reforms supported by ADB and the World Bank will make key services easier to access, reduce waiting times and administrative barriers, and enhance transparency in government processes—helping build greater trust between citizens and public institutions.
According to ADB, the project will be implemented by Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. It aligns with Nepal’s Digital Nepal Framework 2.0, Sixteenth National Plan, e‑Governance Blueprint, and ADB’s country partnership strategy for Nepal, 2025–2029, which identifies digital transformation as a core crosscutting priority.
The press release further mentioned that the FMRF is an innovative cofinancing arrangement between ADB and the World Bank designed to streamline project preparation, reduce duplication, and deliver faster and more effective development support. The World Bank is the lead lender for the Nepal Digital Transformation Project, approving its $50 million concessional loan in February this year.
