Following constitutional amendments approved by the Federal Parliament in March 2024 to the first four chapters of the Provisional Federal Constitution, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) initiated and approved a package of electoral legislation. These included the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEBC) Establishment Law, the Political Associations and Political Parties Law, and the National Electoral Law, all of which were signed into law in late November 2024.
Yet, Puntland did not participate in the election agreement or the subsequent processes. Prominent opposition politicians, including two former presidents and several former prime ministers, publicly opposed the process. Meanwhile, Jubaland withdrew from the process in October 2024.
The NIEBC commenced biometric voter registration in Mogadishu on 15 April 2025 and later expanded registration to Federal Member State (FMS) capitals, including Dhusamareeb, Baidoa, Jowhar, and Las Anod. Voter registration in Mogadishu concluded on 30 September 2025. The voter registration timeline was postponed multiple times, leading to missed deadlines for the local council elections originally scheduled for 30 June 2025. The NIEBC announced the registration of nearly one million voters in Mogadishu’s 16 districts out of the 20 districts, with 63% male and 37% female registrants, and with youth aged 18–34 accounting for 69% of the total.
This policy paper examines the first voter registration process conducted in Mogadishu in more than 55 years. It analyses the overall voter registration process led by the NIEBC, identifies key limitations and operational flaws, and explores public experiences and perceptions of the process through an online, non-scientific poll conducted in October 2025 following the conclusion of voter registration. The paper concludes with policy considerations focused on legal, technical, and political dimensions ahead of upcoming elections.
Voter Registration in Mogadishu: Process, Public Perceptions, Challenges, and the Way Forward
Voter-Registration-in-Mogadishu-SPA_Policy_Paper_11_2025_ENGLISH
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Somali Public Agenda is a non-profit public policy and administration research organization based in Mogadishu. Its aim is to advance understanding and improvement of public administration and public services in Somalia through evidence-based research and analysis.
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Well resorted paper! Good Job Ibrahim Jibril