Mogadishu, Somalia – 25 November 2025: Somalia’s Auditor General, H.E. Ahmed Isse Gutale, has affirmed that the country’s new digital National ID system will be pivotal in uncovering the true owners of companies and assets, describing it as “a safeguard for accountability and financial integrity.”
Speaking at the 2nd Somali National ID Conference (SNIDC 2025) in Mogadishu, Gutale said the National ID gives Somalia a reliable mechanism to verify identities and identify beneficial owners—the individuals who ultimately control businesses. His remarks were delivered during a session titled “From Identity to Accountability.”
“The National ID is more than documentation—it is a national safeguard,” he said. “It closes the loopholes that allow hidden ownership, corruption and illicit financial flows.”
He emphasised that accurate beneficial ownership data is vital for combating corruption, money-laundering and terrorism financing, and aligns Somalia with FATF, World Bank, ID4D and UN standards.
Gutale highlighted that the Office of the Auditor General has already integrated the National ID with its Contract Management System to verify companies and their genuine owners in government procurement, reducing the use of shell companies and false identities.
He further noted that making National ID enrolment mandatory would significantly strengthen governance, improve oversight and support Somalia’s progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 16.
“The new National ID is central to strengthening beneficial ownership transparency and exposing hidden ownership,” Gutale said. “By anchoring transparency in a secure digital ID system, Somalia can build stronger institutions and a more resilient future.”
SNIDC 2025, organised by NIRA, brought together government officials, partners and private-sector leaders to explore how digital identity can enhance service delivery, security and transparency.
