Despite the high level of smartphone and internet access among households and people of different age groups in Nepal, the status of technical skills and digital literacy has been found to be very poor. According to the 'Nepal Multi-Indicator Survey 2024/25' released by the National Statistics Office on Monday, 85.1 percent of Nepalese households have smartphones and 82 percent have internet access.

Ownership of computers (desktops, laptops, tablets) required for professional or productive work is limited to 16.8 percent. Although this reflects a 'mobile-first' economy, it can be analyzed that the use of information technology in productive work, along with basic knowledge and skills of technology, is low. 

According to the survey, only 10.2 percent of the population can use mathematical formulas in spreadsheets (Excel), which are considered basic for data management and professional work. The population that can program a computer is even less, 3.1 percent, and 24.2 percent can copy and paste data or content between documents or devices.

This indicates that although Nepalis are ahead in mobile and internet use, they are lagging behind in software development and the production of highly technical human resources. Only 9.3 percent know how to connect devices such as pen drives, cameras, or printers. The share of those who know how to make electronic presentations is 17.6 percent. 

In addition, only 19.9 percent of those who know how to adjust privacy settings on their devices, accounts or apps can be estimated, indicating how weak technical and digital literacy is. 19.2 percent can verify the reliability or fact-check information on the Internet, while 23.8 percent can adjust security features. 

Government agencies and private sector IT companies have been complaining about not having enough skilled manpower and that skilled employees are leaving (retention rates are low). In such a situation, the household survey program also showed that there is a huge gap between information technology skills and market demand.

From an economic perspective, Nepal seems to be struggling to produce 'digital producers' even though it has succeeded in producing 'digital consumers'. Men are seen ahead of women in technical skills. While 69.7 percent of men have at least one skill, only 48.8 percent of women do. 

According to the survey report, 90.4 percent of men aged 15 to 49 own a mobile phone, while 81.6 percent of women in the same age group own their own mobile phone. While 52.9 percent of households in the economically disadvantaged group have access to the internet, the rate is 99.2 percent in the richest 20 percent. This indicates that there is a large class gap in the opportunity for economic transformation through technology. 

While 82 percent of households in Nepal have access to the internet, the rate is 86.5 percent in urban areas and 73 percent in rural areas. A total of 95.5 percent of households have some type of telephone (fixed line or mobile). 85.3 percent of people in the age group of 15 to 49 have their own mobile phone and 76.7 percent have their own smartphone. Regionally, while 85 percent of households in Bagmati have access to the internet, only 68.5 percent in Karnali and 78.9 percent in Madhesh have access. Only 16.8 percent of people have used a computer in the last three months.  The

report also shows a clear picture of the digital divide based on economic status, geographical location, education, and gender. While 53.3 percent of the richest households own a computer, it is only 1.4 percent of the poorest households. Among Nepalese people aged 15-49, 76.7 percent of the rich have at least one technical skill, while only 41.5 percent of the poor have it. There is also a large gap in infrastructure and usage between urban and rural areas. 21.2 percent of households in urban areas have a computer, while only 8.1 percent in rural areas have a computer. The

survey also points to inequality in digital access between provinces. While the highest number of households in Bagmati have access to the internet at 85 percent, the lowest is in Karnali Province at 68.5 percent. In Bagmati itself, 5.2 percent of people have programming skills, while in Madhesh this rate is only 1.4 percent. From a gender perspective, 24 percent of men have used a computer in the last 3 months, while only 11.5 percent of women have. 69.7 percent of men have at least one technical skill, while 48.8 percent of women have.