The Maldives has seen rapid growth in the ICT sector over the past twenty years mainly due to the investments made in the sector, and the adaptability of the population to the rapid advances in technology. Over the past twenty years, mobile phone services has transformed the telecommunications sector in its entirety, allowing unprecedented improvements in connectivity that has helped bridge the geographical disparity between the people. In 2018, there were over 850,000 mobile subscriptions with a mobile teledensity of 246.9, the highest in South Asia.

Increased acceptance and usage of mobile data, together with the available ICT infrastructure in the country, has redefined the social and economic landscape of the country, and presents an avenue to address the development challenges imposed by the country’s unique spatial profile.

Opportunities for investment

The Maldives is keen to keep pace with the rest of the world as we witness the Fourth Industrial Revolution which is rapidly transforming the way we work, interact and live our lives. Making inroads in areas such as Big Data, Data Centres, Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things (IOT) is a key strategic priority of the government to mould the Maldivian economy for the future. Investments in these areas are welcome.

IT Parks and Training Centres

Maldives has the highest internet penetration in South Asia. Given the fast transition to modern technology-based solutions in private and public sector and the young tech-savvy population of the country, an area that holds great promise for investments is training institutes and hubs for IT services.

Opportunities in the sector include the establishment of modern technology-education providers, STEM education centres and the development of modern IT parks with a mix of infrastructure, support services, office spaces and innovation hubs.

Other opportunities

The government also welcomes strategic partnerships with global leaders in the field of technology with areas of expertise that suits the development requirements of the country.