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🇳🇵 Nepal /Technology

Nepal cancels national ID system tender, plans internal management

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The government has canceled a tender for the National Identity Card Management Information System (NIDMIS) and will manage it internally.
  • The decision shifts away from foreign technology providers for critical functions like biometric enrollment and data storage.
  • Concerns exist about the department's technical capacity and existing delays in issuing national identity cards.

Nepal's government has abruptly canceled an international tender for the operation and maintenance of its National Identity Card Management Information System (NIDMIS). The decision, made on May 8, means the Department of National ID and Civil Registration will now manage the system internally, with support from the Prime Minister's Office.

This move marks a significant departure from the country's reliance on foreign technology providers for crucial digital infrastructure. Historically, functions such as biometric enrollment, data storage, system maintenance, and card printing have depended on external expertise. The international tender, which began in December 2025, attracted bids from three firms: Gravity Group IND LLC of Dubai, Iris Corporation of Malaysia, and In Smart Identity France SAS of France.

According to an official familiar with the process, the evaluation was halted before completion. "We had received three applications and were reviewing the financial proposals when instructions came from the Prime Minister’s Office that the government would manage the system itself," the official stated. "The process was stopped before the technical evaluation was completed."

We had received three applications and were reviewing the financial proposals when instructions came from the Prime Minister’s Office that the government would manage the system itself. The process was stopped before the technical evaluation was completed.

— Department officialAn official familiar with the procurement process explains why the tender was halted.

Concerns linger regarding the department's technical capacity to handle such a complex system. The former director general, Namaraj Ghimire, reportedly opposed the cancellation, citing the department's lack of expertise in operating high-tier technical infrastructure. Ghimire was subsequently transferred shortly after the tender's cancellation.

A member of the prime minister's secretariat defended the decision, emphasizing the goal of maintaining domestic control over sensitive citizen data and strengthening Nepal's "digital sovereignty." The government plans to hire necessary technical experts to operate the system independently.

The government will hire the technical experts it needs to operate the system independently. Bringing the infrastructure under government control would strengthen Nepal's digital sovereignty.

— Prime Minister's secretariat officialAn official defends the government's decision to manage the NIDMIS internally.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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