By Hanad Abdi - Reporter
Mogadishu, 19 September 2026 More than 1.5 million Somalis have received national identity cards since the country launched its civil registration system three years ago, according to Abduwali Ali Abdulle Timacadde, Director-General of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA).
Timacadde said those registered were drawn from regions across Somalia. He added that identification services had also been introduced at 31 Somali embassies abroad, allowing citizens in the diaspora to obtain national identity documents.
“One of our achievements has been registering more than 1.5 million Somali citizens,” Tima adde said.
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He made the remarks at an event held in Mogadishu on Saturday to mark International Identity Day, which is observed globally on September 16. Somalia commemorated the occasion on September 19, with NIRA organising the event.
The ceremony was held under the theme “My Identity Is My Protection.”highlighting the importance of legal identification in accessing government services, protecting citizens’ rights and facilitating financial and social services.
The National Identification and Registration Authority was officially launched on September 16, 2023. The Somali government considers the system an important step towards building reliable population data and verifying the identities of Somali citizens at home and abroad.