Nepal News Evening Economic Brief – February 21, 2026
Summary
Nepal and Portugal agreed to enhance trade and investment cooperation, NEA conducted scheduled power outages for maintenance in Kathmandu, and the government set new regulations to shut down unregistered e-commerce platforms.
Key Points
- Nepal and Portugal concluded the first Bilateral Consultation Mechanism meeting to boost trade, investment and tourism cooperation.
- Nepal Electricity Authority implemented scheduled power cuts in Kathmandu to carry out maintenance work on utility infrastructure.
- The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies finalized a directive mandating online businesses to register or face closure.
- Professional consultancy exports grew 24.5% in FY 2025/26's first half, generating Rs 21.9 billion in revenue.
- Nepal agreed with IMF for a USD 43.2 million loan to support ongoing economic reforms, with growth projections of around 3-3.5% for 2025/26.
