The Central Bank of Somalia has announced that, starting September all residents in the Benadir region will be required to present a national digital ID in order to open or update bank accounts.
The directive formulated [1] in partnership with the National Identification and Registration Authority or NIRA and the Somali Bankers Association, marks a significant transition toward a government-issued identity verification across all financial institutions, according to [2] the Central Bank of Somalia or CBS. The regulation will be introduced nationwide in stages after its initial implementation in Benadir. Banking transactions will now only accept National Identification Cards issued by NIRA under the new regulation. “This measure introduces a standardized, government-issued identification requirement across all financial institutions, thereby closing longstanding gaps in identity-verification frameworks,” stated CBS in an official announcement.
The policy is a result of Somalia's introduction of three national digital identity systems in May, 2025 the HUBIYE Verifier, the e-Aqoonsi mobile ID app, and the Certificate Delivery System. These platforms are fundamental to the Somalian government’s digital public infrastructure plans and [3] are currently being incorporated into sectors including finance and social services as stated in my previous article. However, the existing framework does not clearly define measures for safeguarding personal and biometric data against misuse, cyberattacks, or unauthorized access. These issues are especially significant in light of Somalia's fragile security environment. The NIRA’s biometric legislation has increased privacy fears with [4] public concern over storage and security, Abdi Rahman, a Mogagish businessman said, “Data security is crucial to us. We’re unaware of where our data goes or who can see it.”
The banking mandate [5] extends an existing collaboration between NIRA and the Somali Bankers Association, established through a memorandum of understanding signed on August 25th, 2024. The partnership seeks to integrate digital IDs into banking operations to bolster identity verifications. Salah Ahmed Jama, [6] who is the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the key role of the national ID card in the country's National Transformation Plan. He stated that the collaboration between NIRA and the Bankers Association will integrate the Somalia with the global financial system. “The agreement with the Somali Bankers Association is a major step towards formally integrating the Somali economy with global financial systems,” said Jama.
Federal authorities in Somalia also announced that, from September 2025, all citizens [7] will be required to present a national ID card when applying for a passport. Additionally, starting in January, 2026, a national ID will also be required for domestic travel. This initiative is part of a broader effort to digitize public services and verify citizen identities. The agencies said in a joint statement, “This step moves us closer to building a modern, trusted ID system and improving service delivery across government institutions.” In June 2025, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation [8] implemented the national ID requirement for obtaining driver's licenses, vehicle registration, transport company verification, and other related services. These actions are in line with a directive issued by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, [9] who instructed all federal ministries to adopt the national ID system. The Prime Minister instructed all pertinent institutions to ensure the complete implementation of the national ID, indicating that a comprehensive directive will be released after the meeting to enforce its full adoption. This initiative will be part of the National Transformation Plan, aimed at digitizing services in both government and private sectors.