Somalia opens fourth national cybersecurity forum as digital security efforts expand

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali federal government opened its fourth National Cyber Security Forum on Tuesday in Mogadishu as the country expands efforts to protect its growing digital infrastructure.

The two-day forum, organized by the National Communications Authority (NCA) and Mogadishu University, is being held under the theme “Building Trust and Cyber Resilience Through Security by Design.”

“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration among government, academia, private sector, and society,” Mogadishu University President Ibrahim Mohamed Mursal said. “Universities have an important role in developing the skills and research needed to address emerging cybersecurity issues.”

Mursal also highlighted the university’s establishment of a new Department of Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence.

Mr. Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, Director General of the NCA, highlighted key cybersecurity achievements, including the launch of the Somali Computer Incident Response Team (SOMCIRT), capacity-building programs for government officials, public awareness initiatives, and the development of cybersecurity risk and compliance management frameworks.

SOMCIRT was inaugurated on March 7 as Somalia’s first national center dedicated to coordinating the prevention, detection and response to cyber incidents. It operates under the communications authority and is responsible for receiving incident reports, issuing alerts and coordinating responses to threats affecting government institutions and critical infrastructure.

The communications authority also completed its first cybersecurity certification program for government officials this year, training information technology professionals from 21 public institutions in internationally recognized cybersecurity standards and practices.

Communications and Technology Minister Mohamed Adan Mo’allin who officially opened Tuesday’s forum said the government also plans to establish a National Cybersecurity Academy.

“I hope this forum will produce practical outcomes that benefit the Somali people,” he said.

Somalia has accelerated efforts to build a national cybersecurity framework as government services, telecommunications, banking and other sectors increasingly rely on digital systems.

The House of the People approved a cybersecurity law in January establishing responsibilities for government agencies, critical infrastructure operators and national incident reporting and response. The law also formally provides for SOMCIRT.

The National Cyber Security Forum was first held in Mogadishu in 2023. Previous editions have brought together public and private-sector institutions to discuss cyber threats, policy development, information sharing and protection of critical infrastructure.