The Maldives 2.0 team met with representatives from the Ministry of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, the Local Government Authority (LGA), and the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT).

This meeting took place on 14th May 2025 at the Ministry’s offices on the 5th floor of the Stelco Building, Ameenee Magu, Malé.

This key meeting was held to align efforts across government and partner institutions on accelerating the digitalisation of council services. 

The parties present came together with a shared purpose, to build smarter, more accessible public services for every community.

Aligning on a Shared Vision for 2027

The Honourable Minister of Cities, Local Government and Public Works, Mr. Adam Shareef Umar opened the discussion by reaffirming the President’s pledge under the Maldives 2.0 national digitalisation initiative. 

He highlighted the importance of delivering all citizen services under a single, unified digital platform by 2027. 

Council services are at the core of this commitment, and we at Tradenet are proud to support this transformation.

It was also discussed that a national digital readiness assessment will need to be carried out to understand where we stand today and to determine the fastest, most effective path forward for implementation. Resources will be allocated soon to support this process and ensure it moves ahead with clarity and purpose.

Learning from Success

We were proud to highlight the progress made in Fuvahmulah with our oneGov platform, where 20 council services have already gone live and are being used by the public. 

It served as an example that oneGov and the approach we at Tradenet have taken towards digitalising public services has been a working effective solution.

This initiative now serves as a template for wider replication. 

Understanding Today’s Challenges

The General Manager of ICT at Tradenet, Mr. Ahmed Samoon, raised concerns that we often hear from the public, such as questions about services that aren’t yet available on oneGov, and frustrations caused by the fragmented systems currently in place. 

Many councils still operate separate platforms that are expensive, difficult to maintain, and not well integrated with each other or with systems like the Gemen portal or judicial databases.

There was also a shared recognition that the LGA has already laid important foundations through past connectivity projects and tools like the Magey Council portal. 

However, more must be done to connect these systems, automate back-office functions, and enable real-time data sharing across ministries.

A Unified Path Forward

The Honourable Minister proposed a joint working session between Tradenet, LGA, and NCIT to move beyond fragmented efforts and to map out the full digitalisation of council services. 

This includes not only public-facing services, but also internal processes and procurement policies that must evolve to support this shift.

Under this collaborative model, NCIT would act as the regulator, LGA as the implementation partner, and Tradenet as the technical innovator.

Empowering Local Champions

One of the most exciting outcomes of the meeting was the plan to launch a nationwide orientation programme for government staff on Maldives 2.0. 

The Honourable Minister announced that this session would take place on 18th May 2025 and serve as the foundation for building a network of island-based “ambassadors and champions.”

These champions, primarily civil servants who will work until the end of current councillor terms, will be trained to support local rollouts, engage communities, and build trust in digital services. 

Incentives will also be introduced to acknowledge their role in driving this transformation forward.

Looking Ahead, Together

This meeting reinforced what we’ve always believed at Tradenet: meaningful digital change only happens when we work together. 

With shared commitment, clear direction, and the right tools in hand, we’re confident we can bring real progress to councils and communities across the Maldives.

As we continue to help shape this journey, we remain focused on what matters most—making public services simpler, faster, and more accessible for every citizen, on every island.