The most important industry for infrastructure development is the cement industry. A construction can never be completed without the use of the cement, and therefore, the demand for cement is generally used as an indicator of construction activities taking place in an economy. In recent years especially after the earthquake of 2015, the consumption of cement has been increasing in Nepal. The reconstruction activities have driven up the demand for cement. The domestic annual demand for cement in Nepal increased i.e. from 4.54 million tons in 2014/15 to 4.81 million tons in 2015/16 and to 9.05 million tons in 2018/19. Although most of the reconstruction activities now have been completed, the demand for cement is unlikely to subside. Nepal aims to upgrade to developing country status by 2022 and achieve sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030. This calls for a total investment amounting to Rs. 17 trillion, mostly in infrastructure in 9 years (UNDP, 2013). Besides, the National Planning Commission has identified 22 national pride projects in line with the national vision of "Prosperous Nepal; Happy Nepali". This necessitates the investment in mega projects in physical and social overhead, which is likely to raise the demand for cement within the country. Because of the sheer quantity of cement required in the construction sector and the huge transportation cost associated with its import, it is strategically important for an economy to develop robust domestic capacity in cement production.
NIFRA can invest in following sectors in Industrial sectors: