Somalia Ranked World’s Top Performer in Telecommunications Regulatory Reform by ITU

GOOBJOOG NEWS| GENEVA: Somalia has been recognized as the country that achieved the largest global improvement in telecommunications regulatory reform, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ICT Regulatory Tracker, from its inception through 2024.

This makes Somalia the top-performing country in terms of progress among all countries assessed during that period.

According to the ITU report released in May 2026, Somalia’s overall score in the ICT Regulatory Tracker rose from 0.0 in 2007 to 77.5% in 2024—an increase of +77.5 points.

Somalia ranked first among the 15 countries identified as having made the most significant progress in telecommunications regulatory reform.

This transformation has been driven by reforms implemented since the establishment of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in 2018 under the National Communications Act.

The ICT Regulatory Tracker is one of ITU’s key tools for measuring the maturity of ICT regulatory frameworks across 194 countries.

As a result of this progress, Somalia has officially been classified under ITU’s Generation 3 (G3) regulatory level, which is defined as a stage focused on “enabling investment and expanding access to services.”

Commenting on the report, the Director General of the National Communications Authority, Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, said:

“This recognition reflects Somalia’s efforts since 2018 to build a credible and independent regulatory authority, alongside a modern legal framework to guide the telecommunications and technology sector.

Moving from a score of zero to ranking among the world’s top reformers is a major milestone. However, our priority remains strengthening market competition, expanding access to services, and reinforcing consumer protection.”

“This report is a testament to the collective efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia, stakeholders in the telecommunications and technology sectors, telecom operators, and international partners who continue to support Somalia’s digital transformation.”

Since 2019, the NCA has developed and implemented a comprehensive set of regulatory frameworks through an open and consultative process.

These include a unified licensing regime, interconnection regulations, spectrum management frameworks and a national frequency allocation plan, quality of service and consumer protection guidelines, as well as numbering systems and strategies to promote emerging technologies aimed at building sustainable and reliable infrastructure.