State in Somalia

The Federal Republic of Somalia is based on the Provisional Constitution of 2012. Constitutional changes adopted in March 2024 and further amendments approved by Parliament on 4 March 2026 and signed on 8 March 2026 changed parts of the constitutional framework, including provisions in Chapters 5 to 15. Implementation, harmonisation and supporting legislation are still developing. The amended system provides for direct general elections, a multiparty system and five-year terms. The President appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister, who leads the Council of Ministers. The Federal Parliament consists of the House of the People with 275 members and the Senate with 54 members. State authority is organised federally. The Federal Government of Somalia operates alongside the Federal Member States of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubbaland, Puntland and South West, as well as SSC-Khaatumo. The Banaadir Regional Administration has a special status for Mogadishu and Banaadir. Districts and local governments handle local functions, but councils, mayors and administrative offices differ between Federal Member States. The Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation coordinates relations between federal, state and local authorities. Somaliland has its own de facto institutions and does not operate under Federal Government of Somalia administration. Arrangements in Sool, Sanaag and Cayn remain contested. Public administration includes federal ministries, departments and agencies, Federal Member State ministries and district offices. Service delivery is uneven. Conflict, long distances, limited resources and parallel authorities can determine which office is available and whether it can act. The National Identification and Registration Authority, known as NIRA, provides national identity and registration services. Registration can involve a central office or mobile unit, document or witness verification, biometric capture, review and the issue of an 11-digit National Identification Number with a certificate, card or mobile identity. Citizens and lawful residents may use NIRA services, but access depends on the location and the responsible institution. People without documents may have to use witness verification. SSC-Khaatumo has been gradually integrated into national services since 2025, while digital government and digital identity systems are expanding. The Constitution recognises freedoms of expression, media, assembly, protest, petition and participation in public affairs, together with equality before the law. In practice, enforcement varies sharply by territory and institution. Journalists and civic actors face documented risks including threats, harassment, arbitrary detention and violence. People may also have duties relating to compliance with laws, taxes and customs, registration and, where applicable, security requirements. The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism handles information and media policy. The National Communications Authority, or NCA, regulates telecommunications, internet, broadcasting, information and communication technology licences, competition, consumer protection and cybersecurity under the Communications Act 2017. NCA consultations generally provide a 45-day period for comments. Public finance is governed by the Public Financial Management Act 2019 and annual appropriation laws. The Ministry of Finance consolidates financial reports from the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States, while fiscal federalism, revenue authority, expenditure responsibilities and transfers remain under institutional and political development. For the 2026 plan, proposed allocations include about USD 264.79 million for security, USD 225.41 million in transfers to Federal Member States, USD 103.48 million for the Ministry of Finance, USD 35.94 million for the House of the People and Senate, and USD 9.29 million for the judiciary. Federal Government of Somalia expenditure for 2025 was about USD 720.3 million against a plan of USD 917.4 million, or 78.5 percent. The Ministry of Finance must submit the budget proposal by 30 September at the latest, and Parliament must approve it by 31 December at the latest. Administrative fees depend on the service and authority; Somalia has no single nationwide fee schedule. Oversight is shared among Parliament, the judiciary and audit institutions. The House of the People and Senate legislate, approve budgets, examine final accounts and supervise government. The Office of the Auditor General, or OAGS, is the independent supreme audit institution and conducts financial, compliance, performance and forensic audits; it also provides a complaints channel. The judiciary and Supreme Judicial Council provide legal and constitutional oversight. Anti-corruption bodies are formally provided for, but their practical effect is limited by capacity, disputes over responsibility and restricted access. National security is coordinated at the highest level by the National Security Council, or NSC. The Office of National Security, or ONS, serves as its secretariat and supports strategy, inter-institutional coordination, analysis, security-sector reform and counterterrorism. The Somali National Army, Somali Police Force, intelligence services, Custodial Corps and security forces of Federal Member States and the Banaadir Regional Administration share security functions. The National Security Architecture of 2017 was revised and approved in March 2023, while command arrangements, financing, integration and civilian oversight continue to develop. A Counter-IED Strategy was validated in 2025. Al-Shabaab activity and other conflict risks remain major factors affecting state reach, public safety and access to institutions.