Pres. Muizzu announces a third deadline for gov’t payments to businesses
The president had initially pledged that all outstanding bills submitted in line with legal and regulatory requirements would be settled before this year’s fasting month of Ramadan. That commitment was not fulfilled.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu meets with small and medium enterprises - 17 December 2025
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced a new deadline for the settlement of thousands of outstanding payments owed by the government and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to Maldivian businesses, after the previous deadline of November 5 expired without being met.
This announcement represents the third deadline issued by the president on the same issue.
The president had initially pledged that all outstanding bills submitted in line with legal and regulatory requirements would be settled before this year’s fasting month of Ramadan. That commitment was not fulfilled. A subsequent assurance that all payments would be completed by November 5 also lapsed without full settlement of the dues.
Speaking during a meeting with small and medium-sized enterprises on Wednesday night, Muizzu acknowledged that prolonged delays in payments from state-owned companies remain one of the most pressing concerns facing businesses. He stated that many businesses would receive their payments before the end of December, while all remaining outstanding bills are now expected to be settled by Ramadan. He further said that efforts would be made to clear a significant number of bills within the approximately fifteen days remaining in the current month.
The president also said that work would continue in January to clear the remaining outstanding amounts, with the stated objective of completing all payments by Ramadan. In addition to this, he asserted that a satisfactory arrangement would be provided for businesses concerning their pending payments to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) once these clearances are carried out.
Addressing requests from businesses to offset their tax liabilities to MIRA against the payments owed to them by the government, Muizzu said he would look into mechanisms to facilitate such deductions. This would include examining ways to deduct MIRA dues from payments owed by state-owned enterprises or government ministries. He said he would work with MIRA and the Ministry of Finance and Planning to identify a legally compliant and equitable approach that would benefit as many businesses as possible, allowing amounts owed by businesses to MIRA to be offset against the sums owed to them by the state.
Earlier, on October 20, Muizzu had stated that the bills would be settled within ten days. He then announced in a social media post on October 22 that payments would be completed within five weeks. Following those assurances, he said during a ceremony marking two years since the government took office that payments for the outstanding bills had begun on November 6 and would continue on a daily basis until all dues are cleared.
