Maldives makes 25 percent local ownership mandatory for foreign investment

The Maldives has made at least 25 percent local ownership mandatory for foreign investment in certain sectors including construction, real estate, auditing and information technology. According to Economic Development, Trade and Transport Minister Mohamed Saeed, the rule will apply to construction projects costing less than $15 million.

The same threshold will apply to real estate projects valued at less than $100 million. However, smaller residential real estate projects below this value, as well as certain general maritime transport activities, have been reserved exclusively for Maldivian citizens.

Published reports say the arrangement, introduced under the Foreign Investment Act enacted in 2024, is expected to cover around 150 foreign-invested businesses.