Committee Formed to Recommend Candidates for NRB Governor

The government has set up a three-member committee to recommend three potential candidates for the next Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). The committee is led by Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and includes former NRB Governor Bijaya Nath Bhattarai and former National Planning Commission Vice-chairperson Bishwo Nath Poudel.

The new governor will replace Maha Prasad Adhikari, who is set to retire on April 6, 2025. Adhikari had taken office on April 6, 2020, during the administration of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, when Yuba Raj Khatiwada was Finance Minister.

One of the two current deputy governors—Neelam Dhungana Timsina or Bam Bahadur Mishra—is expected to be among the three recommended candidates. Both are members of the seven-member NRB Board of Directors, which was formed under Governor Adhikari’s leadership in April 2020.

The other two candidates will likely be experts from banking, finance, corporate law, or economic management, selected for their experience and contributions to Nepal’s financial sector.

The appointment of a new governor comes at a time when NRB’s leadership will play a key role in managing monetary policy, financial stability, and economic growth. The final decision on the appointment will be made after the committee submits its recommendations.