MOGADISHU, – Somalia will require citizens to hold a new national ID card to obtain passports and travel domestically under sweeping reforms aimed at tightening data security, improving public services, and boosting government efficiency, officials said Friday.
The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), established under the 2023 Identification and Registration Act, is rolling out the ID card system more than three decades after the country last had a unified identity framework. Each card will carry a verifiable National Identification Number (NIN) and biometric data, including fingerprints and facial recognition, to curb fraud and strengthen service delivery.
Under the plan agreed this week between NIRA and the Immigration and Citizenship Authority — chaired by Interior Security Minister Abdullahi Sheikh Ismail “Fartaag” — passports will only be issued to applicants holding the national ID from Sept. 1, 2025. From Jan. 1, 2026, all domestic travel will also require the card.
Officials said the move will improve the accuracy of citizen data, speed up government transactions, and integrate services such as banking, telecommunications, aviation, and social welfare. It will also support humanitarian relief by ensuring aid reaches the most vulnerable.
“Our operations cover fixed registration centers, mobile units, and outreach to remote and marginalized communities,” NIRA Director-General Abdiwali Ali Abdulle “Timacadde” said in a statement. “This system is designed to build trust between the government and its people while enabling both online and offline verification across multiple sectors.”
NIRA is working with public and private partners to link the ID system to services ranging from SIM card registration to secure e-commerce. The government says the program is central to Somalia’s digital transformation and long-term economic growth.