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By Dipesh Ghimire

World Bank’s USD 95 Million Approval Signals a Strategic Push for SME-Led Growth in Nepal

World Bank’s USD 95 Million Approval Signals a Strategic Push for SME-Led Growth in Nepal

The approval of a USD 95 million financing package by the World Bank marks a significant policy moment for Nepal’s financial sector, particularly at a time when small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to face persistent barriers in accessing affordable credit. More than a routine development project, the newly endorsed Sustainable and Inclusive Finance Project reflects an attempt to address long-standing structural weaknesses that have constrained private-sector-driven growth in the country.

At the core of the project is an ambitious target: expanding financial access to over 100,000 SMEs. In Nepal’s economic context, where SMEs account for a large share of employment but operate largely with limited capital, informal financing, and weak risk-mitigation mechanisms, this intervention could play a catalytic role. By focusing on employment-oriented lending rather than consumption-led credit expansion, the project aims to align financial inclusion with productive economic activity.

A central institutional pillar of the project is the strengthening of the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund (DCGF). For years, Nepal’s banks and financial institutions have cited high credit risk, inadequate collateral, and weak recovery prospects as reasons for their cautious lending behavior toward smaller businesses. By expanding risk-sharing mechanisms and introducing new guarantee products—especially for women-led and underserved enterprises—the project seeks to rebalance this risk equation in favor of productive lending.

Beyond credit guarantees, the initiative also places strong emphasis on improving the information infrastructure of Nepal’s financial system. Limited credit histories and narrow data coverage have long excluded many viable enterprises from formal financing. The planned upgrade of the Credit Information Bureau, including the use of alternative data sources and stronger data-security frameworks, signals a shift toward more modern, data-driven credit assessment practices. This could gradually reduce over-reliance on collateral and improve loan pricing based on actual risk profiles.

The project’s design also reflects continuity with recent financial-sector reforms. It builds on policy changes introduced under the Financial Sector Stability and Finance for Growth Development Policy Credit completed in 2024, which prioritized stability, inclusion, and institutional strengthening. In that sense, the new financing is not an isolated intervention but part of a broader reform trajectory aimed at making Nepal’s financial system both resilient and growth-oriented.

From a macroeconomic perspective, the World Bank’s support comes at a critical juncture. Nepal’s economy has struggled with sluggish private investment, rising youth unemployment, and limited integration of domestic enterprises into regional and global value chains. By easing financing constraints for MSMEs, the project has the potential to improve firm competitiveness, encourage formalization, and create conditions for sustainable job creation—provided implementation remains disciplined and transparent.

However, the project’s success will ultimately depend on execution. Past development programs in Nepal have often fallen short due to weak coordination, slow institutional reforms, and limited monitoring. The effectiveness of upgraded systems, risk-based pricing models, and first-loss coverage mechanisms will hinge on how decisively they are adopted by financial institutions and regulators alike.

Overall, the USD 95 million approval sends a clear signal: international development partners see SMEs as central to Nepal’s long-term economic stability and inclusive growth. If translated effectively from policy intent into practical outcomes, the initiative could help reshape Nepal’s financial landscape—from one dominated by risk aversion and exclusion to one that actively supports entrepreneurship, employment, and sustainable economic expansion.

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