# Dahabshil Bank International: the Dahabshiil group's Islamic bank

> Dahabshil Bank International in facts: the 2008 Djibouti licence, the 2014 Hargeisa headquarters, branches in Somalia, lending, and its place in the Dahabshiil group.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/businesses/dahabshil-bank-international/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## The short version

Dahabshil Bank International (DBI) is a sharia-compliant bank owned by the [Dahabshiil](/en/businesses/dahabshiil/) group, the largest Somali money transfer company ([Wikipedia, Dahabshil Bank International](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahabshil_Bank_International)). It appears on the Central Bank of Somalia's register of licensed banks as Dahabshiil International Bank ([Central Bank of Somalia, licensed banks](https://centralbank.gov.so/licensed-banks/)).

## Timeline

- **29 December 2008:** [Dahabshiil](/en/economy/hawala-and-money-transfer-companies/) announces that the **Central Bank of Djibouti** has authorised it to provide banking services: taking deposits and lending to people, businesses and companies. It planned to offer savings and current accounts, home finance, personal loans and debit and credit cards ([Hiiraan Online, January 2009](https://hiiraan.com/news4/2009/Jan/9509/dahabshiil_receives_djibouti_central_bank_license_to_offer_banking_services.aspx)).
- **2009:** the bank opens in Djibouti and becomes an officially recognised institution in [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/), opening its first Hargeisa branch the same year ([Wikipedia, Dahabshil Bank International](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahabshil_Bank_International)).
- **November 2014:** Somaliland's president at the time, [Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud](/en/people/ahmed-mohamed-mohamoud-silanyo/) "Silanyo", opens the bank's **$12 million** headquarters building in central Hargeisa. The building also houses a shopping centre and a hotel. Reports described it as the first commercial bank in Somaliland's history ([Somalilandsun, reprinted by Dahabshil Bank](https://dahabshilbank.com/africas-largest-money-transfer-business-selects-hargeisa-as-flagship-of-dahabshil-international-bank); [Reuters, 30 November 2014, archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150120094101/http://af.reuters.com/article/somaliaNews/idAFL2N0TK0L720141130)).
- **By November 2014:** the bank had lent **$70 million** to finance, livestock, farming, health and education ([Wikipedia, citing Reuters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahabshil_Bank_International)).

## Where it works

At the 2014 opening, the group's chief executive, [Abdirashid Duale](/en/people/abdirashid-duale/), described the bank as headquartered in Djibouti, with branches in Hargeisa, Mogadishu and [Bosaso](/en/regions/bari/) ([Somalilandsun, reprinted by Dahabshil Bank](https://dahabshilbank.com/africas-largest-money-transfer-business-selects-hargeisa-as-flagship-of-dahabshil-international-bank)). Wikipedia gives Hargeisa as the head office and also calls it one of the main banks in Djibouti ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahabshil_Bank_International)). A 2013 report for the UK government named Dahabshil Bank and Salaam African Bank, both registered in Djibouti, as the only two banks then operating in Somalia apart from the money transfer firms ([Beechwood International, Safer Corridors Rapid Assessment, 2013, p. 35](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7c4e04ed915d3d0e87b799/SAFER_CORRIDORS_RAPID_ASSESSMENT__2013__SOMALIA___UK_BANKING.PDF)).

## Services and memberships

The bank offers personal, private, business and international banking, and also provides a commodities exchange service ([Dahabshil Bank, archived 2014](https://web.archive.org/web/20140916030849/http://dahabshilbank.com/cms.php?id=Host_Country&)). Wikipedia lists the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency among the bodies it belongs to ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahabshil_Bank_International)).

## Names on maps and apps

In October 2024 Dahabshiil removed the name "Somaliland" from its platforms after a directive from the federal government of Somalia ([Hiiraan Online, October 2024](https://store.hiiraan.com/news4/2024/Oct/198344/dahabshiil_removes_somaliland_from_platforms_after_somali_government_directive.aspx)).

For the group's money transfer and telecom businesses, see [Dahabshiil](/en/businesses/dahabshiil/) and [Somtel](/en/businesses/somtel/). For all banks, see [Banks in Somalia](/en/economy/banks/).

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