WASHINGTON, February 9 — The World Bank has approved $50 million in financing for a project aimed at strengthening Nepal’s digital public infrastructure and digitizing public services, the institution said on Monday.
The Nepal Digital Transformation Project will support the development of digital platforms, including an integrated online citizen service portal, an integrated social registry, a secure government-wide data exchange system, and a digital locker to manage verifiable credentials and a digital wallet. The project will also assist in digitizing high-impact services such as land administration, with additional services to be added in phases.
According to the World Bank, the initiative seeks to encourage private sector investment in the data infrastructure market by improving legal and regulatory frameworks. It will also fund measures to support electronic signatures, cybersecurity, and data governance to promote trust in the digital economy.
“By investing in core digital platforms and digitalizing services, this project will help deliver enhanced services to people and businesses in an inclusive and transparent manner thereby improving service delivery, public sector efficiency, and good governance,” said David Sislen, World Bank Division Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The project will be financed through a joint co-financing arrangement between the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework. The World Bank will serve as the lead lender, while the Asian Development Bank will act as the trail lender and contribute $40 million. The Asian Development Bank’s management is expected to present the project to its Board for consideration in March 2026.
Implementation will be carried out by Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Department of National ID and Civil Registration.
