Wednesday July 8, 2026
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s communications regulator is pressing Meta to hold off on introducing WhatsApp usernames in the country, saying the planned feature could expose users to new security threats, privacy breaches and financial fraud.
In a statement Monday, the National Communications Authority said the tool, designed to let WhatsApp users create public identifiers that are separate from their phone numbers, could be misused by cybercriminals, terrorist groups and fraudsters seeking to impersonate others or run scams.
“Before this feature is introduced in Somalia, we urge Meta to engage in technical consultations and implement robust safeguards to protect user privacy and prevent misuse,” the authority said.
The NCA said Meta should ensure strong verification systems, anti-abuse protections and moderation tools are in place before making the feature available to users in Somalia.
Regulators also raised concerns that public identifiers without adequate verification could create vulnerabilities in Somalia’s mobile money sector, a cornerstone of everyday financial activity across the country.
Somalia has one of Africa’s most active mobile money markets, even as its formal financial institutions remain fragile and underdeveloped. Roughly 155 million transactions worth $2.7 billion are recorded every month, while more than 70% of Somali adults regularly rely on mobile money services.
With its request, Somalia becomes the second country after India to ask Meta to delay the WhatsApp username rollout, citing concerns over fraud prevention and user safety.
WhatsApp said earlier this week that it had started a phased global rollout, including in Somalia, that will allow users to reserve unique usernames and, eventually, communicate without sharing phone numbers.
India, WhatsApp’s biggest market with more than 500 million users, was the first to urge the company to pause the feature while consultations continue over fraud risks.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said the username function is not yet active and will be introduced gradually later this year.
The company said phone numbers will still be required to register for WhatsApp, and anyone sending a message will need to know the recipient’s exact username.
WhatsApp said it has designed several safeguards to limit scams, including restrictions on how many new people an account can contact and measures to block repeated attempts to guess usernames.
