Background
The National Development Corporation State Owned Corporation (NDC) was founded as per the Presidential Decree no. 28, dated 03/02/2020. The principal objective of the corporation is to reinvigorate the state-owned corporations merged into it, which previously held the status of state-owned enterprises.
The fundamental purpose behind the merger was to modernize and mechanize the operations of the corporations so that it could achieve the high standard of implementation and construction of infrastructure. Furthermore, among the goals of NDC is the refinement of processes involved in the implementation of vital infrastructure in the fields of agriculture, water, energy, production, exploration and mining of minerals. NDC strives to accelerate the sustainable development of the country. According to the Presidential decree, the legal status of the following state-owned enterprises was converted to state-owned corporations and then merged into NDC:
- Bana’i Development Corporation
- Helmand Development Corporation
- Afghani Development Corporation
- Housing Development Corporation
- Ghouri Cement Factory
- Jabal Siraj Cement Factory
- Northern Coal Corporation
- Nangrahar Valley Agricultural Corporation
- Metal Corporation
- Central Freight Corporation (Kamaz)
Areas of Operation
Water:
Water management is one of the key priority areas of NDC. Whether it is using water as a source of renewable energy to reach self-sufficiency, redirecting water for irrigation purposes or providing access to clean drinking water, Read more
Consultancy:
Years of experience has enabled NDC’s existing team to offer credible advice and consultancy services in its areas of expertise. The corporation has played a vital role in offering consultancy and advisory services in reviewing some of key national development projects. The corporation is currently engaged in the survey and design of water filtration in Panjsher and transportation to Kabul for drinking and sanitation purposes. It is also working on a blueprint on a tunnel to divert water from Sarobi to an eventual powerhouse to generate hydropower with a capacity of 180 megawatts.
Agriculture:
Afghanistan has always relied on its agricultural sector. However, very little has been done to modernize and mechanize this vital sector. Through water management projects, NDC aims to irrigate large swaths of barren land, which will be utilized for agricultural megaprojects. Standardization, modernization, and mechanization of the agriculture sector will maximize agricultural yields and pave the way for agribusiness and agro-industrial advancements. NDC in Nangarhar is currently working on reviving the olive farms, citrus farms, livestock farms, and fisheries in eastern Afghanistan. NDC has started piloting forestation projects by planting thousands of trees on mountain beds in Paghman and Sorobi.
Energy:
Hydro-power is the primary source of energy in Afghanistan. However, most of the dams were built over 50 years ago and lack the capacity to meet the present energy needs of the nation. Afghanistan has been relying on its neighboring countries for its energy supply. Read more
Mining:
The North Coal mines have been merged with NDC and the corporation has plans to modernize the extraction process by investing in infrastructure and equipment. This will increase the extraction capacity from hundreds of tons per day to thousands of tons per day. With increased extraction, NDC will have already increased the production capacity of two cement factories which will have a much higher rate of coal consumption. Furthermore, NDC is also in discussion with international firms regarding building coal power plants with a capacity of 300 MW per station. This will provide a strong supplementary supply to Afghanistan’s energy demand and also lower the cost of energy, which will in return pave the way to Afghanistan’s industrialization. NDC also plans to work on those mining sites, which yields easy results and revenue generation.
Construction:
The merged state-owned corporations to NDC have completed hundreds of construction projects all over Afghanistan. NDC prides itself on its impressive portfolio and extensive experience in the construction sector. Among other projects, NDC is currently building eight hospitals as part of the government’s rapid response effort against the COVID-19 pandemic. Afghanistan was only the second country to have such a rapid infrastructural response to the virus outbreak. NDC has also restored national historical sites including but not limited to Darul-Aman, Jabl Saraj, Paghman, Ameer Shaheed, Bagh Shahi palaces, the work being completed at extremely competitive costs is one of NDC’s achievements. Highest in quality, fastest in delivery and most competitive in price are some of the fundamental traits of NDC’s construction work.
Production:
Afghanistan heavily relies on purchasing imported products at high prices for the quality that can be outdone locally. NDC has already started building strong partnerships with the private sector to offer local alternatives and not only minimize imports but also increase exports. Jabal Siraj cement is undergoing a restructuring effort, which will result in a 300% increase in production. Also, NDC is currently discussing partnerships with international companies to increase the production capacity of cement factories to the level so that Afghanistan can become self-sufficient with regards to cement. NDC plans on establishing 120 factories in partnership with the private sector by 2025.