CAN Federation Acting President Outlines Bold Commitments to Transform Nepal into a Global Digital Powerhouse

25th May 2026, Kathmandu

In a major leadership transition within Nepal’s technology sector, Chiranjibi Adhikari has officially assumed charge as the Acting President of the Computer Association of Nepal (CAN Federation).

CAN Federation Acting President Outlines

As the apex body representing Nepal’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the federation’s leadership transition comes at a critical juncture as the nation balances rapid digital adoption with regulatory hurdles.

Taking over the role, Adhikari expressed deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility toward reshaping the country’s technology landscape.

“Our journey begins today. I invite all stakeholders to join hands with us as we work collaboratively to transform Nepal into a global digital powerhouse,” Adhikari stated, signaling a collaborative approach to driving policy reforms and economic growth through technology.

Driving the Digital Agenda: A 5-Point Roadmap for Reform

To propel Nepal’s IT ecosystem into its next phase of maturity, the newly appointed Acting President outlined a firm commitment to five core agendas designed to eliminate systemic bottlenecks and empower local innovators.

1. Formal Recognition of IT as an Industry & AI Governance

Despite being one of the fastest-growing sectors and a major source of youth employment, the IT sector lacks formal designation as an official ‘Industry’ by the state. CAN Federation will prioritize lobbying for this status to unlock credit, subsidies, and state-backed incentives. Concurrently, Adhikari emphasized the urgent implementation of a robust Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance policy to ensure ethical, responsible, and secure technological deployment.

2. Prioritizing Domestic Nepali Software

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The federation aims to shift national reliance away from foreign tech solutions by establishing policies that mandate absolute priority for homegrown software, apps, and platforms developed by the local private sector. “Homegrown innovation is our greatest strength,” Adhikari noted.

3. Fostering a Scale-Up Startup Ecosystem

Acknowledging youth entrepreneurship as a vital economic engine, CAN Federation will take a proactive role in shaping a supportive framework for tech startups. The focus will center on building structural pathways that help early-stage ventures seamlessly secure funding, navigate bureaucratic compliance, and scale operations globally.

4. Government as a ‘Buyer’, Not a ‘Competitor.’

Addressing a long-standing grievance within the private tech market, Adhikari urged government agencies to act exclusively as major technology buyers rather than internal software developers. When state machinery builds software in-house, it inadvertently stifles healthy market competition and curbs private-sector growth. The federation maintains that the industry will only flourish when the public sector shifts to trusting and delegating development tasks to commercial tech firms.

5. Unified IT Umbrella Act, Tax Rebates, and Digital Payments

The final pillar of the commitment calls for aggressive policy advocacy to scrap fragmented, outdated regulations in favor of a single, comprehensive IT Umbrella Act. Furthermore, CAN Federation will lobby for the realization of seamless international digital payment gateways and targeted tax rebates to help local IT operations maintain a global competitive edge.

For more: CAN Federation Acting President Outlines