Mogadishu, Somalia – Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, in response to complaints raised by the public, carried out an unexpected inspection at one of the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) centres in Hodan district, Banadir region. The visit came after images and footage circulating on social media showed women sleeping outside the facility at night while waiting to obtain national ID cards, generating widespread public concern.

During the inspection, the Prime Minister instructed the leadership of NIRA to make immediate improvements to ensure citizens receive services in a safe and dignified manner. He stressed that it is unacceptable for women to be forced to remain outside late at night due to delays in service provision.

“What we saw on social media is not something acceptable. Women should not be forced to come at night or sleep outside; it puts their safety at risk and it should not happen. Increase operational hours so the burden is reduced, and make the service easier for the public,” Prime Minister Hamza said.

The incident sparked a rapid reaction from the government, pushing for urgent corrective measures at NIRA centres.

The Prime Minister also directed the Authority to separate the process of ID registration from card collection, ensuring that those who are only picking up their cards do not have to stand in the same long queues as those applying for new registration. This change is aimed at easing congestion and improving workflow efficiency.

The government reiterated its commitment to ensuring NIRA provides efficient, humane and accessible services as Somalia builds a modern national identification infrastructure.