Nepal to present US$17 billion infrastructure projects at December summit

Nepal will present infrastructure projects with a combined estimated value of US$17 billion at the Nepal Infrastructure Summit 2026, scheduled for December 9–10 in Kathmandu, as the government seeks to attract domestic and international investment and accelerate infrastructure development.

The sixth edition of the biennial-style event, organised under the theme Building for a Resilient Future, will showcase nearly three dozen investment-ready infrastructure projects. The summit will also provide a platform for discussions on legal reforms, investment opportunities and the challenges facing infrastructure development, with investment agreements expected to be signed for some of the projects.

The summit is being organised jointly by the government, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and the Federation of Contractors' Associations of Nepal. The Investment Board Nepal, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Nepalese Young Entrepreneurs' Forum are supporting the event as co-organisers.

According to organisers, discussions will cover 12 thematic areas, including infrastructure, energy, urban development and regional transportation. Government representatives, domestic investors and national and international experts will examine investment opportunities, policy priorities and implementation challenges across these sectors.

A major focus will be the government's efforts to modernise the legal framework governing investment and infrastructure development. Three key areas will receive particular attention: reforms to the existing legal framework, the national infrastructure roadmap and its vision for the next decade, and the development of effective mechanisms to address problems investors encounter during project implementation.

The government is also preparing amendments to 494 provisions across 59 existing laws ahead of the summit. The proposed changes are intended to remove regulatory bottlenecks, establish clearer administrative procedures and improve investor confidence.

The amendments cover investment, infrastructure, taxation, land management, company operations, insurance, arbitration, and payment and settlement systems. Around 190 proposed provisions would introduce mandatory deadlines for government agencies to decide on applications, with most decisions required within three to 90 working days.

Other proposed changes would require officials to provide reasons for administrative decisions, prevent agencies from repeatedly requesting documents already submitted and establish clearer procedures for resolving tax and contractual disputes.

The reform package was developed following consultations with private-sector organisations, ministries and government agencies. The government initially received 987 recommendations covering 66 laws, which were reviewed through 13 consultation sessions held between October 2 and 4.

Among the proposed changes, 190 provisions concern investment and business promotion, 57 relate to infrastructure, energy and public procurement, and 56 address land, urban development and housing. The Industrial Enterprises Act accounts for the largest number of proposed revisions, with 55 provisions, followed by the Income Tax Act with 28, the Arbitration Act with 24 and the Companies Act with 21.

The proposed amendments have been submitted to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, but the approval and legislative processes remain incomplete. With Parliament not in session, the government is considering ordinances to ensure the reforms can be introduced before the summit.

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said the event would be different from previous investment-focused gatherings, placing greater emphasis on demonstrating the government's commitment to legal and policy reforms.

“This time, the summit will be a legislative showcase rather than a project showcase,” Wagle said.

He further stressed that Nepal could not achieve economic prosperity without meaningful private-sector participation. Public investment alone would be insufficient to meet the country's infrastructure requirements, while excessive dependence on loans from development partners such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank could make infrastructure development expensive. The government is therefore exploring alternative financing mechanisms and greater mobilisation of private capital.

Infrastructure Development Minister Sunil Lamsal said the government had made infrastructure-friendly legislation a priority, arguing that a predictable legal framework was essential for successful project implementation.

He said the government wanted the summit to demonstrate how proposed legal changes would address existing problems, improve the investment environment and provide greater certainty to investors, rather than simply generate large investment announcements.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sobita Gautam said work on the legal reforms was being expedited and that the proposed changes would take concrete shape in the coming period. She also appealed to investors to place confidence in the government's commitment to improving the business environment.

CNI President Birendra Raj Pandey said reliable infrastructure would help reduce the country's economic burden and support broader economic growth. He noted that the nearly three dozen investment-ready projects would be presented to potential investors in a standardised format by the respective government agencies and private-sector promoters.

Federation of Contractors’ Associations of Nepal President Nikolas Pandey said infrastructure development should not be measured simply by the number of kilometres of blacktopped roads. Instead, reductions in travel time and improved connectivity between major cities should be considered important indicators of progress.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to inaugurate the summit.