Sectoral Economic Trends Nepal (Mid-March 2026 Update)
Nepal's economy across sectors shows varied performance in 8M 2025/26. This snapshot uses NRB credit, trade, and BoP data to assess each sector.
Sector Dashboard
| Sector | Key Metric | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | Credit -1.99% | Weak |
| Manufacturing | Credit +5.59%, Exports +20.83% | Positive |
| Energy | Electricity credit +10.45%, exports Rs. 19,555M | Strong |
| Tourism | Arrivals +15.7% (Jan), Hotel credit +6.15% | Recovering |
| Trade | Wholesale credit Rs. 1.03T, Import growth +12.54% | Active |
| Financial | Deposits +6.52%, Lending rate 8.40% | Tightening |
| Construction | Credit +9.51%, Highway +19.81% | Strong |
| Consumption | Loans Rs. 1.15T (+6.66%) | Robust |
Standout Trends
- Energy boom: Electricity credit +10.45% and electricity exports Rs. 19,555M (+49.46%) — hydropower is Nepal's future export star
- Tourism recovery: 92,573 arrivals in January 2026 (+15.7%) with hotel credit growing 6.15%
- Trade activity high: Imports Rs. 1.29T, exports Rs. 191,112M — both growing, supported by strong domestic demand
- Agriculture risk: Only major sector with declining credit — rural economy needs attention
Conclusion
Nepal's sectoral trends show a diversifying economy with energy, services, and construction leading, while agriculture lags. The next 4 months will be critical for agricultural credit recovery and sustained tourism momentum.