Somalia’s eAqoonsi app shows progress and gaps in digital infrastructure push

Hassan IstiilaFriday April 24, 2026

On a dusty roadside in Elasha Biyaha, some 15 kilometers from Mogadishu, Sharmarke Aden sits in his bajaj, thumbs moving over a Samsung phone as he tries again and again to pull up his digital national ID.

The app, eAqoonsi, sits at the center of Somalia’s drive to take public services online. In the best-case scenario, it should spare Aden the expense and lost time of traveling to a registration center and standing in long lines, all while sacrificing a day’s earnings. Instead, patchy connectivity and limited data have turned what should be a routine task into a two-day ordeal.

“The problem is not the app, but sometimes my internet is weak, and also my digital skills are not at the level where they help me,” he said.

Aden’s experience captures the practical stakes of digital government. For him, the question is not policy jargon or technical design. It is whether an ordinary worker can access a basic service without giving up income, time, or patience. His struggle reflects a broader reality in Somalia’s digital transition: the government wants to build a modern digital state, but many people still contend with weak internet, low digital literacy, and long distances from service centers.

That is where Somalia’s digital public infrastructure, or DPI, comes in. DPI refers to foundational systems such as digital ID, digital payments, and secure data-sharing platforms that allow governments and other institutions to deliver services at scale. Experts say these systems can reduce red tape, lower costs, improve transparency, and widen access. But when they are not designed for local realities, they can shut people out instead of bringing them in.

Somalia is increasingly turning to digital public infrastructure, systems such as digital ID, payments, and data-sharing to improve how citizens access government services. Somalia Digital Public Infrastructure Summit 2026 communique said these tools could reduce bureaucracy, cut costs, and expand access, but warn that if they are not designed for Somalia’s fragile and unequal conditions, they risk excluding the very people they are meant to help.

In Somalia, eAqoonsi has become one of the clearest symbols of that ambition. Linked to the national identification system, the app is meant to provide users with a digital version of their ID and, eventually, open the door to a wider set of government services.

Officials at National Identification and Registration Authority say the aim is to create a more connected digital government. Still, it is not publicly clear how many Somalis have managed to complete the registration process, which begins with an in-person visit to a NIRA center before a digital ID can be activated. There is also little public information on how long the process takes or how many applicants drop out before receiving credentials.

“First, a person must go to the NIRA centers and register physically and be given an 11-digit national ID, then you can make the ID card itself digital, and then you can access government services,” said Mohamed M. Mohamed, NIRA’s director of enterprise services and digital partnerships.

          Mohamed M. Mohamed, NIRA’s director of enterprise services and digital partnerships

That sequence reflects one of the core ideas behind digital public infrastructure: once identity is securely established, the verified credential can be used again and again across services. In principle, that should mean fewer repeated forms and less back-and-forth with different agencies.

But in practice, the picture is more uneven.

For some users, eAqoonsi is already making a difference. Sadia Ali, who lives in Mogadishu and has reliable internet access, said she was able to get her digital ID without returning to a NIRA center.

“I would have had to go to the NIRA center and queue up early in the morning, but now I have a valid digital ID at home,” she said. “I would like to see more government services made online so that it is less cumbersome.”

Her experience points to the promise of a functioning digital state: fewer trips, less paperwork, lower transport costs, and easier access to services from home.

For Aden, who lives in Elasha Biyaha and commutes into Mogadishu for work, the system is far less forgiving. He earns his living driving a bajaj, and under the city’s system the vehicles are split into two groups, yellow and blue, labeled A and B, with one group working while the other rests the next day. His off-day is the only time he can handle paperwork and personal errands. Even then, the digital option has been difficult because of weak internet and limited confidence using online tools.

Ibrahim Mohamed, an elderly man recently displaced from a rural area in the Bay region but now lives near Mogadishu, is unfamiliar with the digitalization process and faces difficulties accessing services that are becoming more digital. 

“I do not understand these new systems, when services move online, people like me are left behind because we do not know how to use them,” he says.

The contrast between those who find digital access liberating and those who find it frustrating tells the deeper story of Somalia’s transition. The issue is not simply whether the app exists. It is whether the social and technical conditions are in place for people to use it on equal terms.

Somalia aims to issue 15 million national IDs by 2029, and nearly two million people have registered so far. However, National Identification and Registration Authority has not publicly disclosed how many digital IDs have been downloaded through eAqoonsi, despite Google Play indicating more than 50,000 downloads, or how many registration centers operate nationwide.

Requests for this data sent to NIRA’s data department were not answered. The absence of public figures makes it difficult to judge how widely the system is being used, how effective it is, and whether it is reaching the people it is meant to serve.

A secure and broadly accepted national digital identity can help citizens prove who they are when seeking both public and private services. In many countries, digital ID becomes a gateway to a wide range of activities, from accessing records and licenses to banking, education, SIM registration, taxation, and commerce.

Using eAqoonsi requires several steps. A person must first register physically with NIRA and receive an 11-digit national ID number. After that, the user can download the app, verify the account through a one-time password sent by phone or email, upload or confirm details, and then access the digital ID. For users comfortable with technology, the process may seem straightforward. For others, each stage can become another hurdle.

            Associate Professor Dr. Yahye Abukar Ahmed delivering keynotes January 2026

Associate Professor Dr. Yahye Abukar Ahmed, who has led programs related to technology and the facilitation of government services, said Somalia’s e-ID rollout faces major obstacles in internet access and digital literacy.

He said mobile networks have expanded, but actual internet use remains much lower. That gap means many people still may not benefit from services that exist only online.“There is a risk that this system will leave women, the elderly, and people with disabilities behind,” he said.

Ahmed said Somalia should adopt the “5A” framework: availability, affordability, awareness, ability, and accessibility. He also called for multiple access channels, including SMS or USSD options for people without smartphones, along with disability-friendly design and assisted registration in remote and displacement-affected areas.

“Not every woman has a smartphone, internet access, or the knowledge to use digital services. If the system is not made simple and inclusive, it will exclude many women,” Hawo Yare said during a brief interview. 

She urged broader public awareness campaigns and digital education efforts to reduce digital illiteracy nationwide, especially in the regions.

Mohamed said NIRA has legal, data protection, and cybersecurity departments, and that users are asked for consent when their data is accessed. OTP verification, he said, is one of the safeguards intended to reduce misuse.

Somalia’s main legal framework for personal data is the Data Protection Act, 2023, supported by an independent authority. While National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has published a privacy policy, there is little public information on security audits, technical standards, or how breaches are reported.

Those questions have drawn sharper attention since the 2025 e-visa data breach, which exposed weaknesses in a key government system. Authorities announced an investigation at the time, but have not publicly released the findings or detailed any reforms. The lack of follow-through has deepened public frustration and raised wider doubts about whether citizens can trust new digital services, including eAqoonsi, with their personal information.

The national ID has become increasingly important because it is now tied to access to essential services in Somalia, including travel, banking, and some forms of public support. As more government systems move online, the ID is also emerging as the key that connects citizens to digital services through platforms like eAqoonsi.

Across East Africa, governments are pushing ahead with digital service delivery. In Kenya, the eCitizen portal brings together thousands of services from ministries, counties, and agencies on one platform.

Somalia’s eAqoonsi points in a similar direction, but it starts from a much tighter spot, shaped by weak infrastructure, uneven internet access, and incomplete national ID coverage. Analysts say Somalia could borrow elements of Kenya’s model, including a single portal and a focus on high-demand services, but fully replicating it would be difficult without stronger coordination across institutions, broader connectivity, and deeper public trust in government systems.

Somalia’s digital ID drive shows a clear determination to modernize public services. The real test, however, is whether it works for everyone, not just those with better internet, stronger digital skills, and easier access. Until barriers such as weak connectivity, low digital literacy, phone ownership, disability access, language barriers, limited transparency, and unequal access are addressed, the rewards of digital government will remain uneven. In that sense, eAqoonsi is not only a story about innovation, but also a test of inclusion, accountability, and public trust.