Mogadishu paints a picture of extreme contrasts, where its ever-evolving skyline stands as both a mark of advancement and a glaring sign of widening inequality. This piece dives into the economic drivers and societal effects of the housing struggle remolding Somalia’s capital. / Credit Redit/r/Somalia
Mogadishu, once famed for its vibrant culture and historical allure, now finds itself grappling with an ordeal that threatens to unravel its very economic and social fabric. The gap between the haves and have-nots is growing ever wider, a direct result of skyrocketing housing costs fueled by rapid urban development, the return of diaspora communities, foreign funding, and a mix of other intertwining factors. It’s a stark departure from Somalia’s not-so-distant past, when the middle class flourished, wealth had a more even spread, and life was more forgiving for the everyday Somali citizen.
Now, Mogadishu is a city of shocking disparities, where opulent skyscrapers and millionaires share space with a majority who can barely get by. Ever wondered how we got to this point and what steps can remedy this chasm?
The Toll of Advancement: Mogadishu’s Housing Dilemma
As modern high-rises continually morph Mogadishu’s skyline, they simultaneously send the rental market soaring into unaffordable realms. These glittering towers, intended to echo progress and wealth, have instead driven rental costs to dizzying heights. For many of Mogadishu’s working-class families, this isn’t just a mere headache; it’s a fight for survival.
For instance, take Ali Abdulle, once a resident of the Hodan district for years. This part of Mogadishu, once the city’s beating heart, is slowly becoming just a dream for folks like Ali. Due to sky-high rents, he’s had to move to the city fringes, perceiving his former life fading away. His plight isn’t unique but echoes those alienated from progress. Inflation stretches costs beyond housing, tearing at the seams of societal infrastructure, affecting education, healthcare, and even basic human dignity.
Adding fuel to the fire, more buildings have not equated to lower rents; paradoxically, grand apartment complexes tend to push prices up even higher than standalone homes. This bucks traditional economic logic and leaves many pondering why the increase in accommodation supply fails to deliver relief to city dwellers.
A Shattered Community: The Cost of Exclusion
As wealthier residents move into fortified enclaves, adopting Western lifestyles alienates neighbors, reducing social ties to a mere nod. Energetic communal locales that Mogadishu was known for are replaced by isolation, with children playing safely behind walls, away from peers not sharing their economic status. This drastic shift disintegrates the unifying spirit once core to the city’s identity, substituting it instead with division and exclusion.
Once, Mogadishu symbolized unity. Families partook in typical Somali cuisine like canjeero and rice, and the economic divide didn’t dictate dining tables. People brushed shoulders at local cafes, sipping coffee and weaving a rich societal fabric regardless of wealth. Yet today, amidst rapid urbanization spurred by diaspora influx and overseas assistance, this harmony is shattered.
Now, markets serve the less wealthy, while more affluent residents prefer swanky supermarkets, underscoring a divide that seems to stretch back in time.
A Thought-Provoking Contradiction: Real Estate Speculation
In Mogadishu, real estate has morphed into an arena for speculation, overshadowing true value. Looking past the security woes Somalia faces, land prices compete with those in major global cities. Rather than focusing on homes or businesses, properties are seen as investments, fueled by expectations of unending value increases. This speculation distorts property values, worsening inequality and turning the aspiration of owning—or even renting—a home into a disappearing mirage.
These rampant value inflations decouple property prices from realistic economic terms, bloating rents and leaving the average Somali scrambling for housing. The scarcity issue isn’t land-related—Somalia sees low population density, with around 29 people per square kilometer by 2024. The real scarcity lies in access, exclusive to those who can endure speculative pricing, leaving the rest hustling for a roof over their heads.
The Human Toll: Mogadishu’s Housing Crisis
Ali’s narrative starkly exposes the human ramifications of the housing crisis. Once hopeful about Mogadishu’s future, his anticipation morphs into bitterness, watching rental rates soar while his earnings stagnate. For Ali and many others, navigating the housing landscape is about more than mere statistics; it’s about survival, security, and maintaining a dignified life.
His forced retreat to the edges of city existence symbolizes the muffled cries of those seeing homes, communities, dreams fade from grasp.
Tackling this crisis demands more than policy tweaks. It calls for a cultural reevaluation, which positions housing as a right, not a lavish or speculative option. Without addressing these deeply rooted issues, Mogadishu will only dream of a future where skyscrapers and its people can flourish together.
With its skyline reaching new heights, Mogadishu’s very foundations—the lives and aspirations of its people—risk falling further behind. The longer this gap remains unbridged, the more elusive genuine progress becomes.
(Abdiwahab Hussein Mohamed is an economist specializing in macroeconomics and Somali monetary policy. Reach him at [email protected])
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
