Audit Office proposes MVR 134 million budget for 2026

Auditor General’s Office has proposed a budget of MVR 134 million for next year, an increase of MVR 20 million compared to this year’s allocation.

The budget proposal was presented to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament today. According to the Audit Office, the increase is mainly due to plans to hire senior auditors for several departments currently without department heads.

The office said it operates 22 departments and seven units, many of which lack senior auditors. The additional funding will allow for the recruitment of qualified staff to strengthen oversight and audit capacity.

The Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) component of the budget totals MVR 41.5 million for next year. As of September this year, the office had spent MVR 65.68 million, with ongoing projects expected to conclude by March 2026.

PSIP allocations include MVR 35 million owed to MTCC under an ongoing project and MVR 6.5 million for furnishing the new Audit Office building.

The office plans to conduct 81 audits next year, including financial, compliance, and performance audits. This includes nine special audits and eight audits focused on assessing the government’s fiscal position.

Auditor General Hussain Niyazy noted that while the office currently employs 170 staff, including 150 auditors, the number remains low compared to the office’s growing mandate.

“We have focused on improving efficiency rather than increasing staff numbers,” Niyazy said.

“The new building is designed to serve the office for the next 50 years, even if the staff increases to around 280.”

He added that the new office will help reduce operational costs currently spent on rent.

“Our estimate is that the cost of the new building will be recovered within 12 years through savings in rent and operating expenses,” he said.