Nepal government orders immediate ban on social media platforms without official registration

KATHMANDU: In a decisive move to assert regulatory oversight over digital platforms, Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MOCIT) has announced that social media networks—including Facebook, Twitter (now X), Instagram, WhatsApp, and others—that have not completed compulsory registration will be immediately blocked across the country.

The directive emerged from a high-level meeting at the ministry today, chaired by Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. It follows a Council of Ministers meeting on August 25, 2025 (2082 Bhadra 9), which had initially issued a one-week deadline for all social networks operating in Nepal to register with the ministry. The deadline expired last night, prompting the ministry to enact the ban effective today.

Only five services—TikTok, Viber, Nimbuz, Bitak, and Popo Live—have so far complied with registration requirements. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has been instructed to enforce the shutdown and send formal notices to service providers. According to Minister Gurung: “Platforms not registered will be progressively blocked starting today.”

Social Media Landscape in Nepal: Who’s Active and by How Much?

Here’s a snapshot of user figures and reach for major platforms in Nepal as of early to mid-2025:

Facebook
NapoleonCat reports 17.28 million Facebook users in Nepal as of August 2025, amounting to approximately 54% of the total population
DataReportal’s use of Meta’s advertising “reach” tools indicates an ad-reach figure of 14.3 million users in early 2025, representing 48.1% of the population and 72.8% of adults aged 18+

Instagram
NapoleonCat recorded 4.61 million Instagram users in August 2025 (~14.4% of total population)
Ad-reach data from early 2025 shows about 3.90 million users, equating to 13.2% of the population and 19.4% of adults 18+

Messenger (part of Meta’s portfolio)

NapoleonCat’s August 2025 data shows 15.55 million users (~48.6% penetration)

Meta’s ad-reach figures report 10.9 million users (~36.8% of population; 55.7% of adults 18+)

X (formerly Twitter)

X’s advertising reach data estimates 390,000 users in Nepal as of early 2025—1.3% of the population and 1.9% of adults 18+

LinkedIn

As per Meta’s ad tools, there are around 2.0 million LinkedIn users in Nepal (~6.8% of population; 10.2% of adults 18+) in early 2025

YouTube, Pinterest, etc.

According to StatCounter for August 2025, the market share of social media platforms in Nepal is as follows: YouTube at 5.46%, Twitter at 6.13%, LinkedIn 0.63%, Instagram 0.53%, and Pinterest 0.12%

WhatsApp (global context)

While there is no specific user count for Nepal, WhatsApp reported over 3 billion global monthly active users as of

Meta advertising reach tools do not publicly detail WhatsApp reach in Nepal, but independent sources note that in Nepal over 90% of smartphone users are on WhatsApp, making it a massively adopted platform in the country
Mindrisers Institute of Technology

Social Media Reach in Nepal

Facebook              14.3–17.3 million users                          (~48–54% of population)
Instagram             ~3.9–4.6 million users                          (~13–14% of population)
Messenger            ~10.9–15.5 million users                       (~37–49% penetration)
X (Twitter)           ~390,000 users                                      (~1.3% of population)
LinkedIn               ~2.0 million users                                 (~6.8% of population)
YouTube               ~8.2% million users                              ——————–
WhatsApp               Widespread—                                      over 90% of smartphone users

Why These Figures Matter

Scope of Impact: The majority of Nepalese citizens are active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. A ban without prior registration could disrupt daily communication, commerce, and information flow at massive scale.

Administrative Burden: The government is now tasked with enforcing shutdowns through NTA, which raises practical questions on technical compliance, appeals, and potential backlash.

Regulatory Precedence: This move marks a notable assertion of digital sovereignty—platforms must register locally to operate. It reflects global trends toward platform accountability for issues like misinformation, taxation, and legal compliance

Next Steps & Watch Points

Provider Responses: How will Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), X, and others respond? Will they seek to register, challenge the policy, or lobby for conciliatory terms?

Implementation Strategy: Will NTA execute a phased blocking? Will exceptions be granted? Will there be an online portal for platforms to register promptly?

Public & Business Reaction: With small businesses and NGOs heavily reliant on these platforms—especially WhatsApp and Messenger—for communication—the ban could provoke strong pushback or calls for flexibility.

Legal and Diplomatic Dimensions: An outright ban raises questions about freedom of expression, cross-border digital access, and potential international business consequences.