The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has successfully recovered MVR 1.2 billion in unpaid taxes, rents, and fees during the second quarter of 2025, according to its latest quarterly report.
The bulk of the recovery came directly from debtors, amounting to MVR 828 million, while an additional MVR 21 million was secured by freezing bank accounts. Another MVR 139 million was collected following systematic call and email reminders to defaulters.
Outstanding Dues Remain Substantial
Despite this progress, MIRA reports that total outstanding dues still stand at MVR 14.2 billion. The largest components include:
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Resort rentals: MVR 4.8 billion
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General GST: MVR 3.2 billion
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Tourism GST (TGST): MVR 1.4 billion
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State-owned company dues: MVR 2.4 billion
This highlights the continuing challenge for the authority in managing and collecting long-overdue payments from various sectors.
Comparisons With Last Year’s Collections
In 2024, MIRA recovered a total of MVR 3.8 billion in outstanding payments. Of this, MVR 2.74 billion was obtained through formal notices, while freezing 501 bank accounts brought in an additional MVR 109.4 million, according to the annual report.
The figures demonstrate a consistent effort by MIRA to employ multiple methods—ranging from reminders to account freezes—to ensure state revenue is collected efficiently.
Tourism GST Continues to Drive Revenue
So far in 2025, MIRA has collected MVR 21 billion in taxes overall, with Tourism GST contributing MVR 7.5 billion, or 35 percent of total tax revenue. This confirms TGST as the single largest contributor to the Maldives’ state revenue, reflecting the continued importance of tourism to the country’s economy.
While MIRA’s latest recovery efforts show progress, the scale of outstanding dues underscores the ongoing need for vigilant tax enforcement and strategic collection measures to secure the government’s revenue streams.
