Nepal Moves to Open Secondary Stock Market to NRNs

Nepal's Securities Board (SEBON) and representatives of the Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) community held discussions on Thursday to expand NRN participation in the country's capital market. SEBON Chairman Dr. Gopal Prasad Bhatta said the government aims to amend the legal framework to allow NRNs to invest in Nepal's secondary securities market, in line with the provisions announced in the national budget. He added that the initiative has also been incorporated into SEBON's capital market policy for the fiscal year 2083/84, with the board committed to taking the necessary legal and procedural steps to facilitate its implementation. During the interaction, Dr. Bhatta reaffirmed SEBON's commitment to creating a favorable regulatory environment that enables NRNs to channel their capital, expertise, and global experience into Nepal's infrastructure development. Representatives of the NRN community welcomed the government's efforts and revealed plans to launch an investment company jointly backed by the Government of Nepal and NRNs. The proposed company aims to raise funds from Nepalis living abroad through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and invest in physical infrastructure projects across the country. They also announced plans to issue bonds and debentures in the future to mobilize additional capital for large-scale projects. The representatives urged SEBON to simplify existing legal provisions and remove regulatory hurdles to help bring these initiatives into operation.