Somalia’s New National ID Rule Disrupts Some Domestic Air Travel

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s new requirement for passengers travelling within the country to present a National ID has disrupted some domestic air travel, with passengers at Garowe airport reporting difficulties boarding flights to Mogadishu.

The requirement took effect on Thursday, October 1, as part of an agreement between the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and the Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA) to introduce mandatory identity verification for domestic travellers.

Passengers scheduled to travel from Garowe said they were unable to proceed with their journey after being told they needed a NIRA-issued identification document.

The disruption has raised concerns in Puntland and elsewhere about the implementation of the new rule, particularly in areas where NIRA registration services are not readily accessible.

Some of the affected passengers were travelling to Mogadishu and onward to Nairobi for work and medical appointments, according to accounts from travellers.

The development highlights a practical challenge facing Somalia as it expands its national identification system: making the new requirement enforceable while ensuring citizens across the country can obtain the documents needed to travel.

NIRA’s national identification system provides citizens with several forms of credentials, including a physical National ID card and an identity certificate. The authority says the system is intended to provide a secure and verifiable identity for citizens and legal residents.

NIRA has increasingly linked the national ID to essential services, including passport applications, banking, healthcare and domestic travel.

The government has argued that the unified identification system will strengthen identity verification, reduce fraud and improve access to public services.

But the immediate experience at Garowe airport suggests that implementation could create difficulties for travellers in locations where registration and issuance facilities remain limited.

Puntland authorities have not yet issued a public statement on the reported disruption, while further clarification from airlines and airport authorities is expected on how passengers without National IDs will be handled.

The requirement marks a significant expansion of Somalia’s national identity system, bringing identity verification into one of the country’s most important channels of internal movement.