Somalia Recognized as the Most Advancing Country in the World in Telecommunications Reform

Somalia has been recognized as the country with the highest growth in the world in terms of telecommunications regulatory reform, according to the ICT Regulatory Systems Statistics of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), from the time it was launched until the year 2024.

This has made Somalia the country that has achieved the greatest progress among all the countries evaluated during this period.

According to the ITU report released this May 2026, Somalia's overall score in the Telecommunications and Technology Regulatory Statistics has increased from 0.0 in 2007 to 77.5% in 2024, representing a total increase of +77.5 points.

Somalia has ranked first among 15 countries noted for making the most progress in telecommunications regulatory reform.

This change has been driven by reforms made since the establishment of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in 2018, based on the National Communications Law.

The ICT Regulatory Tracking Report is one of the key tools used by ITU to measure the level of development of ICT regulatory systems in 194 countries.

This progress has officially placed Somalia at the level of Generation 3 (G3) of ITU, which is described as the level of "investment growth and service accessibility."

Speaking about this report, the Director General of the National Communications Authority, Mr. Mustafa Yasin Sheikh.

“This recognition reflects the efforts Somalia has made since 2018 to build an independent and reliable authority and a modern legal framework guiding the telecommunications and technology market.

Moving from zero points to ranking among the highest countries in the world for growth is an important step, but our priority remains strengthening market competition, expanding service accessibility, and enhancing consumer rights protection.”

“This report is a testament to the efforts of the DFS stakeholders in the telecommunications and technology sectors, telecommunications companies, and international partners who continue to support Somalia's digital transformation.”

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

These include a unified licensing system, regulations for interconnection of telecommunications companies, wave management systems and a national plan for telecommunications waves, service quality procedures and consumer protection, as well as numbering systems and strategies for developing new technologies to achieve sustainable and reliable infrastructure.