Joined Government services at the age of 17 years as a clerk at a Government school and later as a teacher. Served later in the Department of Information, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Trust, Municipality, Ministry of Education, Department of Telecommunications, Official Residence of the President, Department of Electricity in various capacities. Appointed as a senior assistant to the Principal of the Government Boys’ School (Majeediyya School) on 18 June 1975, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Transport from 18 March 1978 to 11 November 1978, Director, Hulhule Airport Construction Project Unit from 11 November 1978 to 23 March 1982. This Unit was a direct office under the Office of the President created to build the first International Airport of Maldives, a project of 43 million dollars, Managing Director of Maldives Fisheries Corporation from 23 March 1982 to 11 November 1982, Deputy Minister of Ministry of Trade and Industries from 11 November 1982 to 10 January 1988 when he was nominated as Maldives Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
He has been a member of Parliament for 17 years and had to resign when he had to resume work as Ambassador in New York. He was a member of Maldives Fisheries Advisory Board, a Director of State Trading Organization, President of the Maldives Tennis Association when he has to leave the country to take his new job in New York. He served in New York until 1991 when he was appointed as a Minister of State.
He was born in Male’ the capital of Maldives on 16 June 1936. He was married and had 6 children.
Hon. Hussain Manikfani passed away on 7 July 1996.