Nepal imported 30 lakh mobile handsets in the first 5 months of the ongoing FY 078/79. The data by the Department of Customs shows that Mangsir Nepal spends a total of 22 Arab for a range of mobile phones.
Smartphone imports have steadily climbed after the COVID-19 pushed service sectors online and made the internet and smartphone the driver of the digital shift.
The Customs Department data shows Nepal importing 4.5 lakh mobile phones in the month of Mangsir.
From Shrawan to Mangsir, Nepal brought in a total of 30 lakh, 60 thousand, 4 hundred, and 37 units of mobile phones. This amounted to the cost of over 22 Arab, 97 crores, 24 lakh.
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In Mangsir month alone, Nepal imported a total of 4 lakh, 58 thousand, 6 hundred, and 77 mobile handsets. This totaled the cost of over 2 Arab, 61 crores, 38 lakh.
The current figures from the Customs department are higher compared to the same period for the last FY 077/78.
| Year | Phone Quantity | Phone Worth Value |
| 078/79 | 30,60,437 | 22.97 Arab |
| 077/78 | 27,72,843 | 17.65 Arab |
Till Mangsir last FY 077/78, Nepal imported a total of 27 lakh, 72 thousand, 8 hundred, and 43 mobile phones. This totaled the cost of 17 Arab, 64 crores, and 45 lakh.
It shows that Nepal’s mobile phones import rose by more 2 lakh, 87 thousand, 5 hundred, and 94 units. This translated to over 84 crores, and 22 lakh of spending increased in the current FY 078/79.
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Nepal’s Mobile Phone Imports 078/79
As per the data, Nepal imported mobile handsets from 48 different countries.
Among them, China ranked atop Nepal’s highest mobile phones exporter. Till Mangisr, 22 lakh, 99 thousand, 5 hundred and 80 mobile handsets entered Nepal from China. Meanwhile, the cost for those mobile phones amounted to over 13 Arab, 56 crores, 89 lakh.
| SN | Phone imported from | Quantity | Value |
| 1 | China | 22,99,580 | 13.57 Arab |
| 2 | India | 6,01,542 | 8.44 Arab |
| 3 | Vietnam | 1,48,846 | 8.44 Arab |
Meanwhile, India tops second as the mobile phone exporter to Nepal. Till Mangsir, Nepal imported 6 lakh, 1 thousand, 5 hundred, and 42 mobile handsets from India. This cost Nepal a total of over 8 Arab, 44 crores in total.
Vietnam was Nepal’s third-largest mobile phone importing partner. In the first 5 months of FY 078/79, Nepal bought a total of 1 lakh, 48 thousand, 8 hundred, and 46 handsets that cost Nepal almost 69 crores, and 60 lakh.
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The data also shows mobile phones coming from the Gulf and Australia among others in mostly 3 digit quantities.
Nepal’s mobile phone market has seen an incremental rise ever since the COVID-19 forced services to shift digital. The trends seem to have stabilized as the mobile handsets import continues to draw in big numbers. Digital shift, cheaper mobile data packs, the allure of online shopping, etc. have contributed to the exceptional influx of mobile phones in Nepal.
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How has your connection with your phone evolved since the COVID-19 lockdown? Do you think the digital shift triggered by the lockdowns was the sole reason behind the rising spendings on mobile phones in Nepal? Do offer your inputs in the comments below.
