Mathiu Najeeb

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[Mathiu Najeeb @MathiuNajeeb]

They didn't just build an app, fought to fix a broken system, with their own money, zero backing, for more than a decade.

Result? MTCC launches the same thing and takes the name.

Government didn't fail just Avas. It failed the entire idea of building something in the Maldives.

[Mohamed Yaniu @mohamed_yaniu]

A lot of people are talking about the “Malé Taxi” name right now. I want to share our side of the story not as a complaint, but because 10 years of hard work deserves to be heard.

In 2015, we registered the business name “Malé Taxi” under Taviyani Pvt Ltd (Registration No. BN-0929/2015). That same year, we launched Kobaa Taxi, an online taxi booking service. We purchased 150 Samsung tablets from Thailand, along with MiFi devices and SIM cards from Dhiraagu, all with our own money, and distributed them to drivers ourselves. There was no funding, no backing just our own effort to build something new for Malé.

In 2016, we submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Economic Development for motorcycle taxi services (RFP Ref: (IUL)101-AF/2016/77). We demonstrated the concept, but our proposal was not selected. We were then advised to apply through a new regulation, and we followed every process as required.

In 2017, the ministry opened an Expression of Interest for Premium Taxi Services in Malé and Hulhumalé (Ref: (IUL)101-AF/1/2017/31, dated 1 February 2017). We submitted a detailed proposal featuring electric and hybrid vehicles, app-based booking, Maldivian drivers in uniform, cashless rides, and a phased rollout plan. We even beat MTCC on price. In the end, the project was cancelled.

At that time, very few people in the Maldives believed an app-based taxi service could work so in 2017, we stopped.
But we did not give up.

In February 2019, we rebranded and launched Avas Ride. We started again from zero with no outside rescue. Just our own money, our own belief, and our determination to keep going.

Today 7 years later Avas Ride has more than 160,000 customers and 3,000+ drivers. In 2025 alone, we completed 2.9 million rides.

As a white-label platform, we faced limitations in customizing the product for the Maldivian market including constraints around integrations such as BML payment gateway ,implementation of safety features. Despite these challenges, we continued to grow and validate the model locally.

In 2023, we made a major decision: to build our own platform from scratch.
We began developing Avas App with a fully Maldivian team 8 developers, a CTO, a UI designer, and a product manager. We successfully launched it with a grand event, marking a new chapter for locally built technology.

Today, we are preparing for an international white-label launch in Q3 this year.

We proved that this model works not with government money, but with persistence, resilience, and belief in what we are building.

Then, on 2 April 2026, MTCC launched “Malé Taxi Line”: electric vehicles, app-based booking, Malé and Hulhumalé coverage, and uniformed drivers. It is almost identical to what we proposed in 2017 and it uses the name we registered in 2015.

We sent a formal notice regarding name infringement to MTCC on 28 March 2026. They launched anyway. There was no response, no negotiation, and no acknowledgment.
Let us be clear we are not against better public transport. In fact, we have spent the last decade trying to build exactly that.

But if a legally registered business name can be used by a state-owned company without even a conversation, then what message does that send entrepreneurs in Maldives.

[Mohamed Yaniu @mohamed_yaniu]

A lot of people are talking about the “Malé Taxi” name right now. I want to share our side of the story not as a complaint, but because 10 years of hard work deserves to be heard.

In 2015, we registered the business name “Malé Taxi” under Taviyani Pvt Ltd (Registration No. BN-0929/2015). That same year, we launched Kobaa Taxi, an online taxi booking service. We purchased 150 Samsung tablets from Thailand, along with MiFi devices and SIM cards from Dhiraagu, all with our own money, and distributed them to drivers ourselves. There was no funding, no backing just our own effort to build something new for Malé.

In 2016, we submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Economic Development for motorcycle taxi services (RFP Ref: (IUL)101-AF/2016/77). We demonstrated the concept, but our proposal was not selected. We were then advised to apply through a new regulation, and we followed every process as required.

In 2017, the ministry opened an Expression of Interest for Premium Taxi Services in Malé and Hulhumalé (Ref: (IUL)101-AF/1/2017/31, dated 1 February 2017). We submitted a detailed proposal featuring electric and hybrid vehicles, app-based booking, Maldivian drivers in uniform, cashless rides, and a phased rollout plan. We even beat MTCC on price. In the end, the project was cancelled.

At that time, very few people in the Maldives believed an app-based taxi service could work so in 2017, we stopped.
But we did not give up.

In February 2019, we rebranded and launched Avas Ride. We started again from zero with no outside rescue. Just our own money, our own belief, and our determination to keep going.

Today 7 years later Avas Ride has more than 160,000 customers and 3,000+ drivers. In 2025 alone, we completed 2.9 million rides.

As a white-label platform, we faced limitations in customizing the product for the Maldivian market including constraints around integrations such as BML payment gateway ,implementation of safety features. Despite these challenges, we continued to grow and validate the model locally.

In 2023, we made a major decision: to build our own platform from scratch.
We began developing Avas App with a fully Maldivian team 8 developers, a CTO, a UI designer, and a product manager. We successfully launched it with a grand event, marking a new chapter for locally built technology.

Today, we are preparing for an international white-label launch in Q3 this year.

We proved that this model works not with government money, but with persistence, resilience, and belief in what we are building.

Then, on 2 April 2026, MTCC launched “Malé Taxi Line”: electric vehicles, app-based booking, Malé and Hulhumalé coverage, and uniformed drivers. It is almost identical to what we proposed in 2017 and it uses the name we registered in 2015.

We sent a formal notice regarding name infringement to MTCC on 28 March 2026. They launched anyway. There was no response, no negotiation, and no acknowledgment.
Let us be clear we are not against better public transport. In fact, we have spent the last decade trying to build exactly that.

But if a legally registered business name can be used by a state-owned company without even a conversation, then what message does that send entrepreneurs in Maldives.

[Mathiu Najeeb @MathiuNajeeb]

@MohamedRimah @BSun8n @Midhuamsaud @HKurusee @MMuizzu Wow. Are you really that dumb? 13 million project dhin iru kunfuni MD akah neygene?

[Midhuam Saud(米渡）🇲🇻 @Midhuamsaud]

It was brought to my attention by the owner of the business “Male’ Taxi” that the name had already been reserved by them in 2015. A name infringement notice was sent to MTCC on 28th March, yet MTCC is continuing to use the name.

It’s a major oversight that MTCC did not verify this before branding all the vehicles with the “Male’ Taxi” name and frankly, this isn’t acceptable. Gov SOEs should be more diligent in following rules and setting the right example.

Please engage with the owner, negotiate in good faith, and reach a fair agreement if you intend to continue using the name.

[Mathiu Najeeb @MathiuNajeeb]

@mikefutia agents

[Mohamed Shifan @abu_auyun]

ﷲގެ ޙަޟުރަތުން ވާގި އެދި ހުރެ، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ އިސްލާމީ ސިޔާސީ ހަރަކާތް، ޢަދާލަތު ޕާޓީގެ ރައީސް ކަމުގެ މަޤާމަށް ކުރިމަތިލުމުގެ ފޯމު އަޅުގަނޑު މުޙައްމަދު ޝިފާން މިއަދު ޕާޓީގެ އޮފީހަށް ހުށަހަޅައިފީމެވެ.
އަޅުގަނޑު އެދެނީ ތިޔަ އެންމެހާ ބޭފުޅުން މި ކަމުގައި އަޅުގަނޑަށް އެއްބާރުލުން ދެއްވުމެވެ.
ޢަދާލަތު ޕާޓީގެ ލަނޑުދަނޑިތައް ހާސިލްކުރުމަށް ކުރެވެންހުރި ހުރިހާ މަސައްކަތްތަކެއް ކުރުމުގައި އަޅުގަނޑު ދެމި ހުންނާނެ ކަމުގެ ޔަޤީންކަން އަރުވަމެވެ.
إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ
وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ ۚ
عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

@AdhaalathOffice

[Dharis @Dharisssss]

We noticed a competitor's post making indirect comments about procurement processes where we both competed. We feel it's important to offer some clarification.

1/n 🧵

[jundow @jundow]

Maikaalo, we have3-4apps trying to compete in this space - I agree that there are many issues with the current way taxis are operated here, but dude fix the regulations instead of competing directly with start ups

[Mohammed Hijab @mohammed_hijab]

It is clear to me that the Muslim Response on Twitter and other platforms has been a substantial thorn in the side of Zionists and their supporters. We need to keep this momentum.

[Halal Nation @HalalNation_]

How quickly they forget 🥀

[Dilly Hussain @DillyHussain88]

The news coming out of occupied Palestine is deeply distressing.

I condemn the terrorist acts of Israel and my thoughts are with those affected and those who have lost loved ones.

[Dilly Hussain @DillyHussain88]

I utterly condemn the 75 years of occupation and ethnic-cleansing of Palestine and her citizens.

There is no justification for this act of terror which is being perpetrated by those who seek to undermine any chance for future peace in the region.

Palestinians have a right to defend herself.

[Abdul Haadhee Hussain @abdulhaadhy]

اللهم انصر أخواننا في غزة، اللهم كن معهم ولا تكن عليهم، اللهم انصر المجاهدين واحرسهم بعينك التي لا تنام، اللهم عليك بأعداء الدين اللهم وخذهم أخذ عزيز مفتدر.
#طوفان_الأقصى

[Sarah Wilkinson @swilkinsonbc]

Israeli military warplanes target & kill their own israeli troops captured by Palestinian resistance forces on Gaza border | via @OnlinePalEng

[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan @RTErdogan]

Reminder to Netanyahu:

Hamas is not a terrorist organization and Palestinians are not terrorists.

It is a resistance movement that defends the Palestinian homeland against an occupying power.

The world stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine against their oppressors.

[Dr. Omar Suleiman @omarsuleiman]

Go to hell @jordanbpeterson

[#سعوديون_مع_الاقصى @Saudis2018]

أكثر من 10 جنود لاعتقال طفل صغير!
لاحظوا الخوف والرعب في عينيه

[Mathiu Najeeb @MathiuNajeeb]

@ahmed_yanaal Congratulations bro! 🎊

[Azmeen Rasheed @AxmeenR]

The mother staying at home taking care of the infant, though considered as a highly productive and socially beneficial economic activity, doesn't get counted in the GDP.

#fact

[Mathiu Najeeb @MathiuNajeeb]

@farishussain @mnzhz Prime energy drink.