Somalia Expands Digital ID System

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Somalia’s efforts to establish a unified national identification system have accelerated under the National Identification and Registration Authority, created in 2023 to issue secure digital IDs using biometric data. After years of fragmented records and low ID coverage, NIRA has opened registration centers, launched verification and mobile platforms, and begun mass enrollment targeting 15 million people by 2029. Officials say the system is critical for service delivery and broader state-building, but requires strong legal safeguards and interoperability.