By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Mogadishu, 25 September 2026 Two containers of tuk-tuks, a medical equipment company that he says employs nearly 300 people, and an investment in industrial gases are all part of presidential candidate Omar Abdulkadir Ahmed Fiqi's business journey. Now, he wants to turn that experience into political leadership as he runs for president of Somalia for a second time.
Does building a company require the same skills as leading a country?
In an interview with Irmaan Podcast on Dawan TV, Fiqi discussed his return to Somalia, the businesses he established, the challenges he faced, and why he eventually entered politics.
Fiqi returned to Somalia in 2000, when the country was grappling with insecurity, economic collapse, and limited healthcare services. Although he had a stable job and life abroad, he said he chose to work in his home country.
"I saw that I could contribute more inside the country than I could by earning a salary abroad," he said.
Healthcare was the first area in which he saw a business opportunity. He started a company supplying equipment to hospitals and laboratories, which later became Humancare Diagnostics.
According to Fiqi, the company now operates in several parts of Somalia and in Djibouti, and employs nearly 300 people. He also said it was among the businesses that brought modern CT and MRI equipment into the country.
His goal went beyond supplying equipment. The company trained young Somalis to install, operate, and maintain medical devices.
"The aim was to make the equipment available in the country and to have Somalis who could install, repair, and operate it," he said.
Fiqi saw another opportunity in public transport. Mogadishu had a shortage of transport, while many young people lacked a reliable source of income.
He said his business imported two containers holding around 50 Piaggio three wheelers. The project was named Shaqo Abuur, meaning "Job Creation," and aimed to improve transport while giving young people a way to earn a living.
"We saw a need for transport, but what mattered most to us was that young people could use the vehicles to work and support their families," he said.
The first two containers sold quickly, and demand grew. Young people were also trained to drive and repair the vehicles. The number of people now working with bajajs is estimated at more than 50,000.
Fiqi acknowledged, however, that their unregulated growth has contributed to congestion in Mogadishu and reduced drivers' earnings.
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"Supply exceeded demand," he said, linking the problem to the absence of government rules to regulate vehicle numbers and train drivers.
Among the other ventures Fiqi discussed was the production of oxygen and gases used in healthcare and industry. He said he wanted to establish basic industries in Somalia to reduce reliance on imports.
"I wanted us to create domestic production so that we would not always depend on other countries, and to teach our young people the technical skills involved," he said.
High electricity costs, insecurity, and a shortage of technicians posed challenges to the investment. He said the experience taught him that business owners cannot solve the economy's larger problems on their own.
Fiqi said his businesses gave him firsthand insight into how security, laws, taxes, energy, and infrastructure affect companies and job creation.
"When you build a business, you eventually run into obstacles such as security, the law, the tax system, and economic infrastructure," he said. "Only the government can create an environment in which businesses can grow."
He described that realization as his main reason for entering politics.
Fiqi sees politics as a way to solve people's problems. He believes that practices used in business, including planning, accountability, and measuring results, could improve government institutions.
"Politics is not just about giving speeches or occupying seats; it is about solving people's problems," he said.
Fiqi said his experience founding and growing businesses encouraged him to enter politics. He argued that Somalia needs new leadership with a measurable record of achievement, particularly people who have succeeded in management and business.
"Let us give an opportunity to new people who can change this country ... and who have succeeded in their businesses," Fiqi said.
That argument sits at the heart of his political pitch: someone who has built companies, managed employees, trained young people, and overcome business obstacles can apply that experience to leading the country.
Fiqi said Somali politics has long featured the same faces and approaches. In his view, people with proven abilities should now be given a chance.