IDs are meant to establish not only legal identities but also to work as gateways to essential services, such as financial and social protection ones.356 A government directive, on 7 April 2025, mandated that all public services be tied to the National ID Card issued by NIRA.357 Reportedly, as of November 2025, more than 24 public and private sector services had integrated the system.358 Among these, the National ID card would be mandatory for applying for passports, also abroad,359 effective 1 September 2025;360 for air domestic travels,361 effective 1 March 2026;362 for banking transactions, effective 1 September 2025;363 for business services, effective 6 July 2025;364 for driver's licenses, and vehicle registrations.365 According to the WB NIRA support team, most banks are currently the biggest users – with, as of March 2026, over 23 000 electronic verification using ID for account opening and transactions - while other use cases are in business registration, education, and transport business.366
On 17 March 2026, Somalia's North-East State mandated all public and private service providers to require the national biometric ID issued by NIRA for access to services. The directive, taking effect on the same day, applied to various sectors including telecommunications, banking, government agencies, educational institutions, notaries and travel services, requiring identity verification through the federal system.367
- 356
WB Blogs, Federal Republic of Somalia launches mass registration drive for its Digital ID, 17 September 2025, url; see also Biometric, Somalia to integrate more govt services with national ID as issuance reaches 1M, 26 November 2025, url
- 357
Dawan Africa, Somalia: National ID Is Mandatory for business services, 6 July 2025, url
- 358
Biometric, Somalia to integrate more govt services with national ID as issuance reaches 1M, 26 November 2025, url
- 359
Somalia, NIRA, Joint NIRA-ICA Training Program for Embassy Attachés Officially Launched in Mogadishu, 23 August 2025, url
- 360
Goobjoog, Somalia to Require National ID for Passport Applications from September, 6 August 2025, url; see also Dawan Africa, Somalia Integrates NIRA and Immigration Authorities for Modernized Systems, 24 August 2025, url
- 361
TRT Afrika, Somalia launches national ID for domestic travel, 2 March 2026, url; Biometric, Somalia makes biometric digital ID mandatory for inter-state travel, 5 March 2026, url; Arlaadi, Somalia to Enforce National ID Card for Passports and Domestic Travel, 6 August 2025, url
- 362
Radio Dalsan, Somalia Postpones Enforcement of National ID Requirement for Domestic Travel, 1 January 2026, url
- 363
Biometric, Somalia makes national digital ID mandatory for banking transactions from Sept. 1, 31 July 2025, url
- 364
Dawan Africa, Somalia: National ID Is Mandatory for business services, 6 July 2025, url
- 365
Dawan Africa, Somalia’s North East State Mandates Use of National ID for Services, 17 March 2026, url
- 366
WB, Task team for SCALED-UP and SPRING projects - NIRA ID program support implementation, Email exchange, 1 April 2026
- 367
Dawan Africa, Somalia’s North East State Mandates Use of National ID for Services, 17 March 2026, url