By Abdinassir Shale Sagar

Somali governments’ quest for identification has been on the agenda since the re-institution of the Somali state, from the transitional federal governments of the 2000s to the governments of today. Each administration understood that establishing a national identification system is essential for rebuilding governance and reintroducing the rule of law. Over the years, they attempted to document the population through various efforts, including early civil registration initiatives, voter lists and biometric pilot projects supported by international partners.

This was motivated by the fact that one of the fundamental powers of the state is the ability to identify and locate individuals. In academic literature, this ability is regarded as central to how a state exercises authority, delivers services and maintains order. This is especially relevant for countries emerging from conflict and seeking to restore state functions. Advances in technology have strengthened governments’ ability to digitize, collect and organise information about citizens. Digitalisation has made these processes faster, cheaper and more systematic, reinforcing the foundations of governance and service delivery.

In the midst of this digital revolution, the adoption of digital identification (ID) systems has become a crucial part of global development strategies. These systems empower citizens by providing access to essential services and promoting socio-economic progress. The implementation of its Digital ID program represents not only a technological advancement but also a transformative path towards inclusive development and nation-building.

Fragile states, including states emerging from civil war and subsequent collapse of state institutions, have long struggled with the lack of a standardized identification system. In such contexts, personal data is either not captured systematically or frequently scattered across uncoordinated databases created by humanitarian agencies, security actors or external partners. It is believed that half of Somalia’s population data are captured by these external entities. However fewer than 16% of the Somali population currently have some form of government-issued ID, according to the 2022 Somali Integrated Household Budget Survey[1].

A report by the Heritage Institute for Policy Studies[2], which examined the prospects and challenges of digital ID in Somalia, analysed this fragmented landscape and the implications of building a unified, state-led system on top of it. The result of fragmentation is duplication, inconsistent records and limited ability to verify individuals across institutions. These gaps undermine service delivery, complicate security vetting, limit financial inclusion and weaken broader state-building efforts. Without a unified system, the government cannot reliably identify individuals and plan or monitor the delivery of government services.

In Somalia, the move towards a unified identification system began with the creation of DADSOM under Law No. 41 in December 2020. This effort was further consolidated in March 2023 with the establishment of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) under the Identification and Registration Act. NIRA is now the key government body responsible for establishing and managing Somalia’s national ID system. It is mandated to provide every citizen and legal resident with a secure, verifiable identity through the issuance of a unique National Identification Number (NIN), known as Tirsi Aqoonsi in Somali.

According to NIRA, the authority’s core task is to build a secure and reliable national ID database that enables citizens to access essential services across the country. The system is designed to support areas such as financial services, healthcare, education and social protection. NIRA uses biometric tools, including fingerprint and facial recognition, to ensure that each identity is accurate and verifiable. The aim is to minimise fraud, strengthen public administration and provide a foundation for Somalia’s broader development efforts.

Three and a half years after the formal establishment of an identification authority, significant progress has been made. NIRA has rolled out registration programmes, opened registration centres, and begun issuing ID cards. Currently, NIRA operates three registration centres and has established a structured process to ensure secure and accurate enrolment. Applicants begin by submitting their biographic information, including full name, date and place of birth, legal status and contact details, with forms available in Somali, Arabic and English to support accessibility. Identity proofing follows, which can be completed through documents such as birth certificates or passports, or through verified community witnesses for those without formal papers. Biometric data, including fingerprints and a photograph, is then captured, with plans to add iris scans to further strengthen accuracy. All information undergoes validation and deduplication checks to confirm the uniqueness of each individual before a permanent 11-digit National ID number is issued. Credentials may then be provided as a certificate, digital mobile ID or physical card, with procedures in place for lost IDs, updates and renewals.

NIRA has also introduced several new components of the digital ID system that expand how identities are verified and accessed across the country. The first is the HUBIYE Verification Platform, a real-time digital tool that allows institutions to authenticate identities instantly, reducing fraud and strengthening trust in public and private transactions. The second is the e-Aqoonsi Mobile App, which gives citizens convenient access to their digital ID and related services directly from their smartphones. The third is the Certificate Delivery System (CDS), a secure platform that streamlines the issuance and delivery of official identity certificates. Together, these components improve the functionality of the national ID system and enhance how citizens interact with identity services.

NIRA is now preparing for a major national scale-up. A mass registration campaign has been launched with a bold objective to register all 3.5 million residents of Mogadishu, extend coverage across the entire Banadir region, and ultimately reach 15 million people nationwide by the end of 2029. This marks one of the most ambitious civil registration efforts Somalia has undertaken in decades and will determine how inclusive and representative the country’s digital ID system becomes.

With NIRA convening the second National ID Conference (SNIDC) this week, the momentum and political will seem to be in place for a transformative phase of Somalia’s digital ID agenda. The system has evolved significantly with many accomplishments to date, but the choices made at this stage will shape Somalia’s governance and service-delivery architecture for many years to come.

First, it is essential to ensure that the system is legally sound with the legal framework continually updated, with strong provisions for privacy, data protection and the limitation of access to authorised personnel for clearly defined purposes. These safeguards are necessary to prevent misuse or “function creep,” which often occurs when laws contain broadly formulated use cases or ambiguous provisions. Several digital ID systems globally—including Kenya’s Huduma Namba and Jamaica’s National Identification System (NIDS)—were halted or delayed due to inadequate legislative frameworks governing data collection and privacy protections. Somalia must avoid similar pitfalls by prioritising robust legal and regulatory foundations.

Second, Somalia’s national identification system must be effectively connected to existing systems at the federal and federal member state level. This is a critical moment to define an interoperability framework that supports seamless and secure data flows across government institutions. Such a framework should allow the digital ID to function as a centrally recognised platform and authoritative means of verifying identity for both public services and business transactions. Doing so would not only improve service delivery but also enhance inclusion, efficiency and trust in state institutions.

Finally, Somalia’s digital ID initiative should be positioned as a foundational enabler of state reform and institution-building. It should be understood as a core piece of national infrastructure that can accelerate broader governance, service-delivery and modernization efforts. For example, it should be the basis for taxation, elections, welfare delivery, financial inclusion, security vetting, and access to public services.

Abdinassir Shale Sagar
Email: abdinassir.sagar@gmail.com
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Abdinassir is a PhD fellow at Maastricht University. His PhD research explores the role of technology in re-building fragile states. He holds an MBA degree from the University of Alberta School of Business.

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References
[1] https://nbs.gov.so/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SOMALIA-INTEGRATED-HOUSEHOLD-BUDGET-SURVEY-SIHBS-2022.pdf
[2] https://heritageinstitute.org/digital-id-prospects-and-challenges-for-somalia/