Friday September 19, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has
announced sweeping reforms to the passport issuance system, warning that any
institution that refuses to implement the national identity card system will be
treated as a “national criminal.”
Speaking in Mogadishu on Wednesday, the president revealed
that more than 10 million people currently hold Somali passports, though
authorities cannot verify how many were obtained legitimately. He ordered that
the National Identity Card replace the passport in all government and private
sector services.
“Whether it is a government institution or a business,
anyone who facilitates the non-implementation of the national identity card
should know that he is a national criminal. He has facilitated terrorism, he
has facilitated thieves, he has facilitated the presence of illegal foreigners
in the country,” President Mohamud said.
The president further warned that in the future, those
without ID cards would lose their citizenship rights, stressing that all public
services will be tied to the national identity system. Since the rollout began,
about half a million people have received the new biometric ID, though
authorities estimate that 20 million Somalis will ultimately be required to
obtain it.
The National Identification and Registration Authority
(NIRA) has set deadlines making the card mandatory for passport issuance
starting September 1, 2025, and for domestic travel from January 1, 2026. The
biometric ID aims to strengthen security, reduce fraud, and improve service
delivery.
However, political hurdles remain, with Puntland and
Jubbaland authorities still opposing the implementation of the scheme.