By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 1 January 2026 Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has announced that oil drilling operations in Somalia will officially begin in February, following the completion of seismic surveys that indicate high potential for commercially viable oil reserves.
The President made the remarks in an interview with the Turkish language news channel, TRT Haber, noting that seismic research conducted since 1948 had long been limited to onshore areas and shallow waters due to technological constraints at the time.
He said the situation has now completely changed, explaining that Turkey will become the first country to conduct deep-sea seismic exploration off Somalia’s coast, a development that has enabled the acquisition of promising preliminary results.
“The seismic work has been completed, and the initial findings show a real and tangible potential,” the President said, adding that drilling (exploration) activities are expected to commence soon.
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President Hassan Sheikh clarified that there is little doubt about the existence of oil and that the quantities are significant, but the exact size of the reserves — including the number of billions of barrels that may be discovered — remains unknown at this stage. He said this information will only become clear once drilling begins.
According to the President, the drilling vessel Çağrı Bey is expected to arrive in Somalia in February, and positive results regarding the country’s oil prospects are anticipated within a few months.
The President’s remarks come as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to harness Somalia’s natural resources, arguing that the development of the oil sector could play a crucial role in economic growth and the financing of essential public services.
