Tabaarak ICT Solutions Secures ISO 9001:2015, Strengthening Quality and Digital Transformation

Tabaarak ICT Solutions earns ISO 9001:2015, signaling a higher bar for Somalia’s digital transformation

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Tabaarak ICT Solutions has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for its Quality Management System, a milestone announced on Nov. 17, 2025, at a high-level event in Mogadishu attended by government officials, academic leaders and partners from across the public and private sectors. The recognition formalizes the company’s commitment to internationally accepted standards of quality, accountability and continuous improvement as it scales digital services in Somalia and the wider region.

ISO 9001:2015 is the world’s most widely used quality management standard. It centers on a clear customer focus, process discipline, leadership accountability and continual improvement — all qualities that digital service providers require to deliver reliable platforms and public-facing systems at scale. For Tabaarak ICT Solutions, which builds and operates government and enterprise systems in challenging environments, the certification serves as an external validation of practices it says it has embedded over several years.

“From the outset, we defined a clear vision to contribute to Somalia’s transformation,” said Gure Abdi, CEO of Tabaarak ICT Solutions. “We work closely with the Benadir Regional Administration and the governments of Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and South West State to modernize public-sector operations and digitize revenue collection systems. Our impact extends regionally through the Faras App, operating across Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, and previously in Sudan. To ensure consistent service delivery, strong customer focus, and continuous improvement, we implemented a robust Quality Management System and achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification in line with internationally recognized quality standards.”

Backed by that systems approach, Tabaarak has built public revenue collection and administrative platforms that local officials say have reduced manual cash handling and tightened controls in municipal operations. Ciise Guure, deputy governor for administration and finance of the Benadir Regional Administration, praised the company’s conduct and outcomes. “Tabaarak works with us on the systems through which we collect public revenues. We are witnesses to their professionalism, transparency, and the quality of service they provide to the public. I commend them and congratulate them on achieving the international ISO 9001:2015 certification.”

Academic observers also framed the certification as more than a badge, pointing to measurable progress in government digitization and service delivery. Prof. Mohamud Jimale of the Center for Postgraduate Studies at Jamhuriya University said the achievement aligns with the practical impact of Tabaarak’s work, particularly in the Benadir region, where digitalization projects have started to show results.

That view was echoed by Yusuf Hussein Jimale (Madaale), the former governor of the Benadir Region, who tied the certification to demonstrated improvements on the ground. “We have trusted Tabaarak ICT Solutions to digitalize local government operations, and they truly exceeded our expectations. Manual cash handling was replaced by a system-based approach, and local government revenues began to increase from that point onward — thanks to Tabaarak’s contribution to this development.”

Why ISO 9001:2015 matters for Somalia’s tech sector

In Somalia and the Horn of Africa, where governments and businesses are digitizing core processes at pace, quality assurance can determine whether a rollout succeeds or stalls. ISO 9001:2015 does not certify a specific product; it verifies that an organization consistently designs, builds, tests and improves its services using disciplined methods. That standardization is especially important in public finance systems and national-scale platforms that must be secure, reliable and auditable.

Certification also carries practical implications for growth. Many donors, multilaterals and large enterprises consider ISO 9001 an advantage in competitive procurement, particularly for work that touches citizen services, critical infrastructure or regulated industries. For Tabaarak, the credential could widen access to regional partnerships while setting a benchmark for local peers seeking to compete in the same space.

Regional reach and platform scale

Tabaarak’s footprint extends beyond Somalia through the Faras App, which the company says operates in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Running multi-country platforms adds complexity — from localization and integration to support and compliance — the very dimensions a quality management system is designed to tame. ISO alignment should, in theory, reinforce consistency across markets, accelerate onboarding for new clients and reduce the operational friction that can accompany expansion.

What the certification means for stakeholders

• For governments: a clearer assurance that core systems — from revenue collection to administrative platforms — follow structured processes with defined controls, documentation and continuous improvement cycles.
• For citizens and end users: more predictable service performance and more transparent handling of public-facing workflows that affect livelihoods and local commerce.
• For partners and donors: a signal of process rigor that can simplify due diligence and strengthen confidence in scaling pilots into production systems.
• For the Somali tech ecosystem: a reference point for best practices that can lift the bar for local vendors competing on quality, not just cost or speed.

The road ahead: scale, security and sustainability

Certification is not an endpoint. Maintaining ISO 9001:2015 requires internal audits, corrective actions and regular external surveillance to ensure the system is working as intended. As Tabaarak takes on larger mandates, pressure points will include cybersecurity, data protection, integration with legacy systems and the human factors that determine real-world adoption. The company’s ability to train users, measure outcomes and iterate quickly will matter as much as the code it ships.

Somalia’s digital transformation — from municipal services to revenue digitization — is gathering momentum. The stakes are high: better controls can expand the tax base and improve service delivery; poorly executed systems can erode trust just as quickly. With ISO 9001:2015 now in hand, Tabaarak ICT Solutions has signaled its intent to compete at a higher level of process maturity. The test will be how consistently that discipline translates into resilient platforms, measurable gains for public institutions and usable tools for citizens and businesses across the region.

For now, the certification provides a foundation for growth. It codifies the processes that underpin Tabaarak’s work with the Benadir Regional Administration and with state governments in Hirshabelle, Galmudug and South West State. And it positions the company to deepen its regional reach through platforms like Faras, where repeatable quality and customer-centered iteration are essential to long-term sustainability.

As the company expands, stakeholders will be watching for continuity: stable service levels, transparent governance of data and procurement, and a culture of improvement that outlasts project cycles. Those are the hallmarks ISO 9001:2015 seeks to embed. Delivering them at scale will determine how far Tabaarak’s ambitions — and Somalia’s broader digital shift — can go.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.