Kathmandu-Ncell Chief Executive Officer Michael Foley has said Nepal’s telecom infrastructure is very weak, adding that the company is ready to invest more if the environment improves.

Speaking at an interaction between business leaders and Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane, Foley said Nepal’s weak telecom infrastructure has reduced its ability to compete internationally.

He said Ncell has not been able to bring in sufficient investment into Nepal. He pointed to government barriers as a key problem and urged authorities to facilitate foreign direct investment.

'The country’s telecom infrastructure is extremely weak. It is not competitive at the international level. There has been very little investment. This has become a major barrier to foreign direct investment. For whatever reason, this is the reality we face today. I have no control over the past, but we are trying to shape the future. We are falling behind, and this trend is continuing,” he said.

'This is not only about 5G. It is also about fiber infrastructure, data centers, international connectivity, and satellite connectivity. If we aim to advance in areas like digital currency, crypto, AI, computer-based services, and blockchain, we need investments worth millions of dollars. We must now double investment and start spending,” Foley added.

He said Ncell’s financial position is strong. 'We are fully ready to make large investments to address current infrastructure challenges, develop new capabilities, and work with the government to achieve data center goals.”

He said the company’s goal is to position Nepal as a strong digital hub on the global map and attract foreign investment. 'You can fully trust us. We have no demands or conditions. You can rely on us.”