Somalia, 5 October 2025 – Somalia’s Minister of Education, Farah Sheikh Abdikadir, has announced that individuals completing the officer training program at Turkisom Military facility will receive university-level degrees equivalent to those offered by national and international universities.
Minister Abdikadir emphasized that the Turkisom training facility is now recognized as a university in Somalia, adding that the Ministry of Education officially acknowledges it.
The Minister made the remarks, Saturday, during a ceremony marking the conclusion of training for officers, deputy officers, and units from the Gorgor forces of the Somali National Army (SNA), who had undergone training in Turkey and at the Turkisom Military Training College. The Minister also announced the launch of the 2025–2026 academic year at the college.
“Turkisom is an accredited academic institution, and those who complete their training there will receive an official university degree,” said Minister Farah Sheikh Abdikadir.
Officer Training Program
The Officer Training Program, provided by Turkisom, is a specialized course for military officers that lasts for three years. Upon completion, graduates receive an official first-degree university certification recognized by Somalia’s Ministry of Education, and graduates are given the rank of First Lieutenant.
Deputy officers will undergo a one-year training program and will be awarded a diploma equivalent to a higher education qualification.
Turkisom, a military base established by Turkey in Mogadishu, officially opened on September 30, 2017. Since then, thousands of Somali National Army soldiers have been trained there.