Kathmandu – Navin Rizal, Chairman of the Rizal Group, has called for urgent measures to address the challenges facing Nepal’s business sector, saying enterprises have been contracting for years and can no longer afford to wait for long-term solutions.

Speaking during the first session of the Fourth National Banking Discourse 2026, titled “How Long Will Money Continue to Pile Up in Banks? How Can Business Confidence Be Revived?”, Rizal stressed the need for immediate action to restore confidence and spur economic activity.

“We need solutions right away. Businesses have been shrinking for many years,” he said. “We are celebrating the arrival of 1.2 to 1.3 million tourists, but Nepal needs to attract 10 million visitors.”

Rizal pointed out that many destinations, including Ilam, Hile, and Badimalika, remain largely untapped despite their tourism potential. He argued that Nepal can significantly increase tourist arrivals even without large-scale state investment, given its strategic location between two of the world’s most populous countries.

“We are situated between two giant markets, and there is enormous potential to bring in more tourists,” he said.

Turning to agriculture, Rizal emphasized the need for structural reforms and long-term policy measures to improve productivity.

“Irrigation projects may take two or three years, but we need a five-year policy that prevents farmland from remaining uncultivated,” he said. “Those who are able should cultivate the land, while those who cannot should lease it out.”

Rizal said such measures would help revive both the agricultural and tourism sectors, creating broader economic opportunities and strengthening investor confidence.