President Creates Government Services Centres for 18 Atolls

President Mohamed Muizzu has created 18 new government offices, one for each of 18 atolls, to provide national government services outside the capital.

The Government Services Centres were set up on 8 October 2026 by Presidential Directive No. 16/2026. They will be administered by the Ministry of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, according to the President’s Office announcement issued the same day.

The directive was issued under Article 116(a) of the Constitution. The President has used the same power to create and abolish government agencies by directive.

One Centre Per Atoll

The centres cover Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Lhaviyani, Kaafu, Alifu Alifu, Alifu Dhaalu, Vaavu, Meemu, Faafu, Dhaalu, Thaa, Laamu, Gaafu Alifu and Gaafu Dhaalu atolls.

Seenu (Addu) and Gnaviyani (Fuvahmulah) are not on the list.

Each centre has an official English name, such as “Government Services Centre – Haa Alifu Atoll”, and a Dhivehi name. Haa Alifu’s centre is number 1143 and Gaafu Dhaalu’s is 1160.

What the Law Says

The directive states that the centres were created so that services provided by national government offices can be delivered in the administrative divisions through integrated service centres. It says this is set out in Article 65(b)(1) of the Decentralisation Act (Law No. 7/2010), which governs how the country’s atolls, islands and cities are run.

The English announcement describes the aim as providing “public services through integrated service centres”.

Neither the directive nor the announcement lists the services the centres will provide. Neither says which island in each atoll will host a centre, how many staff they will have, what they will cost, or when they will open to the public.

Earlier Directive

The centres join other agencies created by presidential directive under the ministry. On 15 January 2026, under Directive No. 4/2026, Muizzu set up the Maldives Digital Service under the ministry, then called the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology. The new agency took over the work of the National Centre for Information Technology, which was abolished.

The President’s Office described the Maldives Digital Service as the main body for carrying out the government’s Maldives 2.0 digital transformation roadmap for 2025 to 2028. It was given institution number 1137.

State Directory

Six days after the centres were created, the President’s Office issued a further directive, No. 17/2026, and launched an online directory of state institutions. That directive requires every state body to use its official Dhivehi and English name, as listed in the directory, in its documents, systems, websites and social media.

Directive No. 16/2026 gives each of the 18 centres an official English name and an institution number for correspondence, from 1143 to 1160.