As of November 2025, the NIRA had reportedly issued, free of charge, more than 1 million IDs nationwide, while other tens of thousand’s applications were still pending.350 Still according to the WB, as of 31 March 2026, approximately 700 000 physical cards had been issued at country level, with most of them in Mogadishu, while another 600 000 plus registered biometrics were awaiting their deduplication by June 2026.351
By November 2025, NIRA offices were operational in Benadir, South-West State, Hirshabelle, and Galmudug, but not in Somaliland, Puntland, and Jubbaland.352 As of March 2026 they were operational in North-East State, notably in the capital, Las Anod, as well as in Buhodle and Huddun.353 According to the WB, as of 1 April 2026, registration was possible in several embassies as well.354
In Mogadishu, on 18 August 2025, NIRA launched its foundational ID mass registration campaign, focusing on the districts of Shangani and Boondheer, with the ultimate goal to register all ‘3.5’ million Mogadishu’s residents.355
- 350
Somali Dispatch, National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) Announces Over One Million National ID Cards Issued, 25 November 2025, url
- 351
WB, Task team for SCALED-UP and SPRING projects - NIRA ID program support implementation, Email exchange, 1 April 2026
- 352
Somali Dispatch, National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) Announces Over One Million National ID Cards Issued, 25 November 2025, url; see also WB, Task team for SCALED-UP and SPRING projects - NIRA ID program support implementation, Email exchange, 1 April 2026
- 353
Dawan Africa, Somalia’s North East State Mandates Use of National ID for Services, 17 March 2026, url
- 354
WB, Task team for SCALED-UP and SPRING projects - NIRA ID program support implementation, Email exchange, 1 April 2026
- 355
WB Blogs, Federal Republic of Somalia launches mass registration drive for its Digital ID, 17 September 2025, url