Somalia Named World’s Top ICT Regulatory Reformer by ITU

MOGADISHU: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has named Somalia the world’s top performer in telecommunications regulatory reform between 2007 and 2024, according to the latest ICT Regulatory Tracker report released in May 2026. The report shows Somalia recorded the highest improvement globally in ICT regulatory development, with its score rising from 0.0 in 2007 to 77.5 percent in 2024 , an increase of 77.5 points. Somalia ranked first among 15 countries highlighted for making the most significant progress in telecommunications and ICT regulation during the assessment period.

The progress follows major regulatory reforms introduced since the establishment of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in 2018 under Somalia’s National Communications Law. The ITU ICT Regulatory Tracker is one of the organization’s key tools for measuring the maturity of ICT governance frameworks across 194 countries. Somalia’s advancement has officially elevated the country into the ITU’s Generation 3 (G3) regulatory category, described as a level focused on “enabling investment and expanding access to services.”

Commenting on the report, Director General of the National Communications Authority, Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, said the recognition reflects Somalia’s sustained efforts since 2018 to establish an independent and credible regulatory institution supported by a modern legal framework governing the telecommunications and technology sector. “Moving from a zero score to becoming the world’s top-rising country in regulatory reform is a significant milestone,” he said, adding that Somalia’s priorities remain strengthening market competition, expanding service access, and enhancing consumer protection. He also noted that the achievement demonstrates the collaborative efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia, telecommunications stakeholders, private sector operators, and international partners supporting Somalia’s digital transformation agenda.

Since 2019, the NCA has introduced and implemented a broad range of regulatory frameworks developed through inclusive consultations. These include unified licensing systems, interconnection regulations, spectrum management frameworks and national frequency plans, quality-of-service standards, consumer protection measures, numbering regulations, and strategies aimed at advancing emerging technologies and building reliable digital infrastructure. A national multi‑stakeholder consultation was held in 2025 to validate the country’s Digital Transformation Strategy for 2025‑2030, which outlines a roadmap for digital governance, infrastructure expansion, and citizen empowerment. The government has also approved the National Digital Inclusion Policy and the Digital Government Policy, commitments reaffirmed at the WSIS+20 High‑Level Roundtable.

In parallel with regulatory reform, Somalia has taken concrete steps to strengthen cybersecurity. In August 2025, the Cabinet approved a landmark Cybercrime Bill, which criminalises hacking, identity theft, and unauthorised data access. The bill has since been passed by the House of the People, providing law enforcement with legal tools to investigate digital offences. In March 2026, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre inaugurated the Somalia Computer Incident Response Team (SOMCIRT), the country’s first dedicated National Cyber Security Center, designed to monitor and respond to cyber threats against critical digital infrastructure.

Building on these institutional foundations, the NCA launched a specialised cybersecurity certification training programme for government ICT professionals, supported by the World Bank’s SCALED-UP Project and facilitated by AFRALTI. In April 2026, the NCA convened a national consultation to formulate Somalia’s Cybersecurity Risk Management and Compliance Framework, bringing together government agencies, private sector representatives and technical experts. The government has also launched consultations on social media misuse risks as part of a broader effort to build a safer digital environment.

Somalia’s digital transformation has also been propelled by strategic international partnerships. In April 2025, the NCA granted Starlink a licence to operate in the country, a move hailed by Mustafa Yasin Sheikh as “a transformative moment in Somalia’s journey toward comprehensive digital inclusion”. In February 2026, the NCA and Turkey’s Information Technologies and Communications Authority (BTK) signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in satellite communications, cybersecurity, spectrum management, and broadband infrastructure. The agreement was formalised at BTK headquarters in Ankara. Somalia has also joined the African Data Protection Network and committed to aligning its data protection policies with continental standards.

The ITU’s recognition marks a decisive shift from a period when Somalia’s communications sector operated without formal legal or regulatory oversight. The country’s transition from a regulatory score of zero to the Generation 3 (G3) category represents one of the most rapid turnarounds in the history of the ITU’s Global ICT Regulatory Tracker. The Federal Government has committed to further reforms to support private sector growth, expand affordable broadband coverage, and build a secure and competitive digital ecosystem. High‑level strategic meetings with telecom executives have been convened to accelerate digital transformation and expand connectivity, and digital and cybersecurity cooperation has been strengthened with Malaysia.