Saturday October 18, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has announced that the National ID Card will no longer be issued free of charge after October 31, 2025.
In a statement released on Saturday, NIRA urged all Somali citizens who have not yet obtained their national ID cards to take advantage of the ongoing fee waiver before the deadline.
“The National ID Card Registration Fee Exemption Period ends on October 31. Please take advantage of the opportunity and apply at your nearest NIRA Center!” the statement read.
While NIRA confirmed the end of the exemption period, it did not specify the registration fees that will apply after October 31.
The announcement comes amid large crowds at registration centers across the country, as citizens rush to acquire their IDs ahead of the deadline. Officials have introduced crowd management measures to ease congestion and improve service delivery.
Somalia’s digital ID rollout aims to register 15 million citizens by 2029. The initiative is seen as a critical step toward improving access to essential public services, financial inclusion, and governance transparency.