Housing in Somalia

Housing arrangements in Somalia differ substantially between regions and communities. A household may rent privately, occupy family or clan housing, acquire a plot through customary or local arrangements, build a home, or live in an informal settlement, an internally displaced people settlement, or returnee accommodation. Humanitarian organizations may provide shelter materials, rental support or other assistance, but access is usually limited by location, project rules and vulnerability criteria rather than a nationwide entitlement. Somalia has overlapping statutory, customary and Sharia-based systems, with responsibilities divided or shared between the Federal Government of Somalia, Federal Member States, Banadir and local administrations. The Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development's Durable Solutions Unit, the National Commission for Refugees and IDPs, local land and urban-planning offices, customary elders, courts and humanitarian organizations may each have a role. Their authority and practical reach vary by place, and Somaliland, Puntland, Jubaland, South West, Hirshabelle, Galmudug and Banadir do not operate as one uniform housing system. The Provisional Constitution recognizes the rights to own, use, sell and transfer property and provides for fair compensation when the state acquires property for a public interest. It also treats land as a primary national resource. In practice, land registration, cadastral records, title documents, tenancy contracts and enforcement remain fragmented. A private or customary agreement may therefore provide access to a dwelling without giving the occupant a secure or easily enforceable legal position. Before renting or occupying a property, check who controls the dwelling or plot, which documents or witnesses support the claim, the agreed rent and deposit, the occupancy period, repair responsibilities, permitted use, subletting rules and the circumstances in which the arrangement can end. Land disputes, multiple claims, missing documents, land grabbing, forced eviction, discrimination and unequal power between landlords, occupants, customary authorities and local officials create material risks. Women, minority groups, internally displaced people, returnees, poor households and people with disabilities may face additional barriers to secure housing and land rights. Housing costs vary sharply by place and arrangement. Rent, deposits, land, construction, repairs, water, sanitation, electricity and transport may all affect the total burden. No reliable nationwide average rent, uniform lease duration or national deposit standard is established. Urban growth, conflict, drought, floods, displacement and return place particular pressure on Mogadishu, Baidoa, Kismayo, Hargeisa, Bossaso, Galkayo and other urban centres. Many informal and displaced-person settlements have limited access to water, sanitation, electricity, drainage, protection and basic services. When a household considers staying, returning, integrating locally or relocating, secure housing requires more than a shelter. Land or occupancy security, documentation, safety, livelihoods and access to basic services must be assessed together. Government-led durable-solutions programmes, local land allocation and projects by UN agencies or NGOs may offer pathways, but their coverage and timing are programme-specific. A 2024 monitoring report found that only 2.1% of assessed internally displaced people had habitable and affordable housing and 3.6% had secure housing or land tenure; these figures describe the assessed population and are not a national rate.