16th April 2024, Kathmandu
A roundtable discussion organized by South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment (Nepali Software Industry Poised) brought together industry leaders and experts to explore the export potential of Nepal’s burgeoning software industry.
Chiranjibi Adhikari, ICT Expert and General Secretary of CAN Federation addressed the gathering, outlining the unique challenges faced by Nepalese software companies in navigating the global market.
Nepal’s Software Advantage: A Thriving Talent Pool
The discussion highlighted Nepal’s strengths, including a skilled and growing pool of IT professionals, coupled with a strong focus on emerging technologies. This positions the country to capitalize on the global demand for outsourcing and offshoring services.
Export Hurdles: Regulations, Infrastructure, and Skills
However, the road to export success is not without obstacles. Regulatory complexities, bureaucratic procedures, and limitations in internet connectivity and power supply were identified as key hurdles. Additionally, the need for continuous skill development and talent retention was emphasized.
Strategies for Overcoming Challenges
The roundtable explored strategies to overcome these challenges. A call for government support through policies promoting software industry growth and export facilitation was made. Investments in technological infrastructure to improve connectivity and reliability were also seen as crucial.
Building Capacity and Expanding Markets
The importance of training programs, workshops, and collaborations to bridge the skill gap was stressed. Strategies for market expansion, including partnerships, participation in trade fairs, and leveraging digital marketing, were offered as solutions to limited market exposure.
Learning from Success Stories
The discussion also drew inspiration from the success stories of Nepalese software companies that have achieved international recognition. Highlighting their key strategies and lessons learned offered valuable insights for aspiring exporters.
Collaboration is Key
The roundtable concluded by emphasizing the importance of collaboration, innovation, and perseverance in overcoming hurdles and seizing export opportunities. Continued efforts to foster the growth of Nepal’s software industry on the global stage were encouraged.
The roundtable, moderated by Dr. Posh Raj Pandey, Chair Emeritus of SAWTEE, aimed to gather inputs from industry representatives to inform a study on the software industry’s export potential. The study will focus on understanding the design of export-oriented strategies, the challenges faced by firms in entering and expanding in export markets, and potential solutions for propelling Nepal’s software industry forward.
