Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah said on Saturday that his government plans to review policies and provide tax concessions to develop the country’s game development and information technology sectors. In a Facebook post, Shah said games made by Nepali youth are achieving major success in the global market, and that policy review and preparatory work have begun to help gaming and IT grow as industries in Nepal. He framed the effort as part of an ambition to make Nepal a “global unicorn.”
Policy review aimed at industry development
Shah’s announcement puts policy reform and tax concessions at the centre of the government’s stated approach to Nepal’s gaming and IT sectors. The aim, as he described it, is to develop and facilitate both fields as industries rather than treat them only as areas of activity. The announcement signals an intention to examine the policy environment and consider measures that could support their growth.
The prime minister said the review and related homework have already begun. That indicates the initiative is at a preparatory stage: Shah announced a plan to review policies and provide concessions, rather than describing a completed package of reforms. The announcement did not provide details of specific policy changes or tax measures in the information reported by Ratopati and Global Aawaj.
By linking policy review with tax concessions, Shah presented the two as potential tools to make it easier for gaming and IT businesses to develop in Nepal. The stated focus is on facilitating the sectors and building them into industries. The announcement, however, did not specify which businesses would qualify for concessions, how any incentives would work, or when revised policies might be introduced.
Nepali-made games and global ambitions
Shah pointed to the international success of games made by Nepali youth as a reason to pay greater attention to the sector. His comments place local game developers at the heart of the case for reform: the government’s stated ambition is to support fields in which Nepali creators are already finding success in global markets.
The reference to youth-made games also connects the gaming industry with the wider IT sector in the prime minister’s announcement. Shah described both gaming and IT as areas to be developed and facilitated as industries. He did not outline separate plans for each sector, but the announcement makes clear that the policy review is intended to cover both.
‘Global unicorn’ ambition
Shah said the broader goal was to make Nepal a “global unicorn.” The phrase expresses the scale of the ambition attached to the proposed reforms, while the specific measures announced so far remain focused on reviewing policy and providing tax concessions. The prime minister’s post did not set out a timetable, name particular companies, or give a numerical target for achieving that goal.
The announcement therefore marks a stated direction for the government’s approach to gaming and IT, with further work expected through the policy review. Its practical effect will depend on how the planned review translates into rules and concessions. For now, Shah’s message is that Nepal should build on the global success of games made by its young people and create conditions for gaming and IT to develop as industries.
