Government services online in Somalia: what exists and what is planned

Where Xidig members may contribute

• Service design and user research: testing services with real users, with consent and privacy safeguards.
• Software development: portals, payment integration and digital ID authentication.
• Somali-language content: clear forms, guidance and interfaces.
• Accessibility: services that work on basic phones and for people with disabilities.

Possible services, research, supplier or collaboration roles

• A public tracker of which government services are online, updated with official information.
• Usability reviews of existing services, shared constructively with the agencies concerned.
• Integration services for mobile-money payments, delivered through proper procurement.

Who may find this useful

• Software developers and designers, in Somalia and the diaspora.
• Public servants working on digital services.
• Businesses and citizens who use government services.
• Researchers in digital government.

What is online today, and what is planned

The federal services portal. somalia.gov.so lists 13 services in four groups:

How they work (pages Xidig could read):

• Passport: "In person", with an interview; fee US$180, "payable through mobile money transfer to a bank account" displayed at the centre (Immigration and Citizenship Agency).
• Driving licence: "In person"; fee US$105, paid the same way (Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation).
• National ID card: "In person"; fee US$5 (National Identification and Registration Authority).
• Work permit: "In person"; US$320 to US$780 depending on length (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs).
• Exam results: online, through the education ministry's system; free.
• Visa: described on the portal as "Apply for a visa online".
• Business registration: the portal's page could not be opened. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry's online registry has operated since 2022; see Investing in Somalia.

Other services already online or being built.

• E-visa: since 1 September 2025, visitors apply online for entry authorisation.
• Digital ID: registration began with a pilot on 18 August 2025. The World Bank says the aim is "to register all 3.5 million residents of Mogadishu" and "ultimately reach 15 million nationwide by the end of 2029". The ID authority lists services such as identity verification for financial institutions and a mobile ID app.
• Not found: Xidig found no official online service for tax filing, customs, public procurement, land registration or passport applications.

The eGovernment Strategy 2025–2029 (Ministry of Communications and Technology).

• Priority areas: education; agriculture; e-health; passport and visa services; a one-stop shop for business registration; security (under the Ministry of Interior); e-justice; tax; transport; and employment.
• Target: that public bodies have "all (100%) of their services are online with at least 80% as end-to-end services".
• Shared building blocks: a "National e-Government Central Portal"; a "National payment gateway" covering "mobile money, card payments, wallets, and bank integrations"; and "A proposed Somalia National Data Center (SNDC)".
• Starting point: it cites Somalia's 2020 UN E-Government Development Index score of 0.1293, ranking "191 out of 193".
• Budget: its funding section gives no amounts.

Who is paying for what.

• World Bank SCALED-UP: its 2021 additional financing included US$15 million for digital ID services and US$13 million for government and retail payment services.
• World Bank SPRING: a US$100 million project at concept stage in October 2024, including support for the ID system.
• The government's US$65M proposal: no source links it to these projects.

What the 84 could include (Xidig's illustration). Combining the portal, the strategy's priorities and services already under way, an "essential services" list would likely draw on:

• Identity and civil registration: national ID, birth and other certificates, identity verification.
• Travel and residence: passports, visas, residence and work permits, border services.
• Business: company and trademark registration, licences, tax registration and payment.
• Education: exam registration and results, certificates, school information.
• Transport: driving licences and vehicle registration.
• Health, agriculture, justice and employment, as named in the strategy.

This is an illustration, not the official list. Ask the ministry for the list behind the 84.

What this means (Xidig's interpretation). Somalia's services are moving online piece by piece, often with mobile money for payment. The biggest gaps are end-to-end online applications and a shared payment gateway, which the strategy plans. A published list of services, with each service's status, would let citizens, developers and funders track progress.

Dependencies and implementation constraints

• Digital ID coverage, which many online services depend on.
• A payment gateway and data centre.
• Connectivity and affordability for users. See Fibre backbones and infrastructure sharing.
• Data protection and cybersecurity. See Data centres and data protection.
• Coordination among many ministries and agencies.

Risks and unknowns

• Unclear scope: without the list of 84, progress cannot be measured.
• Duplication between agencies and donor projects.
• Exclusion of people without ID, phones or connectivity.
• Security of new systems holding personal data.

Questions members should verify before acting

1. Which 84 services does the government's proposal mean, and which are already online?
2. How does the government's US$65M proposal relate to World Bank digital projects?
3. When will the national payment gateway and central portal launch?
4. Is there a procurement or partnership process for e-services?

What is confirmed, and what isn't

Confirmed

• The 13 services on the federal portal and how the pages Xidig read say they work.
• The e-visa system and the digital ID rollout.
• The eGovernment Strategy's priority areas, target and planned building blocks.
• World Bank financing for digital ID and payments.

Our interpretation

• The illustrative list of what the 84 might include.

Not yet verified

• The source of the figure 84.
• Somalia's latest UN e-government ranking.
• Online tax, customs, procurement and land services.

Relevant next steps

• Ask the Ministry of Communications and Technology for the list of 84 services.
• Developers and designers: review public services and share constructive, privacy-safe feedback.