By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, May 8, 2026 — Somalia’s federal government plans to resettle 12,000 families living on public land in Mogadishu under a new housing programme aimed at relocating vulnerable households to newly developed residential areas, Public Works Minister Ayub Ismail Yusuf said on Friday.
Speaking at a press conference, the minister said the project would provide housing for nearly 80,000 people who have lived for decades on government-owned land across the capital.
“As you know, during the past 30 years of state collapse, many people settled in unsuitable areas or on land needed by the government for public services and development,” Ayub said.
The first phase of the project will involve the construction of 6,000 homes in the Jaziira area on the outskirts of Mogadishu, according to the Ministry of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing.
Authorities said the programme forms part of broader efforts to expand Mogadishu and relocate families from areas designated for urban redevelopment and public infrastructure projects.
“This is a broad plan to resettle more than 12,000 Somali families,” Ayub told Dawan, adding that the initiative had been under preparation for the past five months.
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The minister said the new residential areas would include schools, healthcare facilities, commercial centres and vocational training sites aimed at supporting livelihoods and job creation.
“This is not housing for sale. It is a housing programme intended to place property in the hands of families identified by the government as being in need,” he said.
Ayub added that beneficiaries would not be legally permitted to sell or rent out the homes or land allocated to them, saying the properties were intended strictly for permanent residence.
The announcement comes amid tensions linked to recent demolitions and relocations involving settlements on government-owned land in Mogadishu as part of redevelopment and city planning efforts.
Opposition groups have criticised the demolitions and called for protests against the government, while the Benadir regional administration recently suspended demolitions in some public land areas.