Male’ City Mayor Adam Azim has announced that the council will publicly disclose the full details of all land plots leased in the capital within the next two months.
The decision marks a significant shift toward transparency in municipal land management, following years of limited access to such information. According to Mayor Azim, this will be the first comprehensive audit since the City Council was formed over 15 years ago. He noted that no formal land registry or leasing database had been compiled until now.
Azim stated that the forthcoming disclosure will include information on all current leaseholders, the purpose of each lease, rent amounts, lease durations, and whether any corporate social responsibility (CSR) components are included in the agreements.
He also raised concerns about long-term non-compliance, revealing that some leaseholders have not paid rent for more than a decade. In some cases, unpaid utility bills have accumulated to as much as MVR 2.5 million.
The move to publish lease details is being framed as part of broader efforts to improve accountability and ensure more responsible management of public land. Mayor Azim emphasised the importance of creating a transparent and verifiable system that serves both the city’s residents and its financial sustainability.
