Nepal Needs Rs 21 Trillion to Meet SDGs by 2030, Faces Rs 7.5 Trillion Financing Gap

Kathmandu: Nepal will require an estimated Rs 21.17 trillion (Rs 2,11,65,00,00,00,000) to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) between 2024 and 2030, according to a new report released by the National Planning Commission (NPC).

The updated report titled “SDGs: Needs Assessment, Costing and Financing Strategy 2081”, unveiled by NPC Vice Chair Dr. Shivaraj Adhikari, estimates an average annual investment requirement of Rs 3.02 trillion, equivalent to 45.45% of GDP. This is slightly lower (by 2.4 percentage points) than prior projections.

Breakdown of Investment Needs by SDG Goals:

• Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure): 24%

• Goal 7 (Clean Energy): 12%

• Goal 1 (No Poverty): 11%

Financing Source Projections:

• Public Sector: 57.5%

  • Federal Government: 70%

  • Provincial Governments: 9%

  • Local Governments: 21%

• Private Sector: 34.3%

• Cooperatives & NGOs: 4.18%

• Households: 3.95%

Major Concern: Rs 7.55 Trillion Funding Gap

Despite the ambitious mobilization strategy, Nepal still faces a Rs 7.55 trillion average funding shortfall (roughly 11.1% of GDP).

• Public Sector Shortfall: Rs 4.26 trillion

• Private Sector Shortfall: Rs 3.29 trillion

Key areas contributing to the financing gap include:

• Infrastructure

• Sustainable urban development

• Education

• Health

• Water and sanitation

Strategic Way Forward:

To address the gap and accelerate SDG progress by 2030, the NPC recommends:

• Revisiting macroeconomic policy

• Enhancing strategic partnerships

• Improving public spending efficiency

• Boosting revenue mobilization

• Prioritizing SDGs in national planning

• Mobilizing more effective foreign aid flows