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.
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.