# Golis Telecom: Puntland's largest phone company and the Sahal mobile wallet

> Golis Telecom in facts: founding in Bosaso in 2002, coverage, Sahal mobile money, Xogmaal, the Kaaftoon bank service, interconnection and links to Hormuud.

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

## The short version

Golis Telecom (Somali: *Shirkadda Isgaarsiinta ee Golis*) was founded in **2002** to supply GSM mobile, fixed-line and internet services. Its head office is in **[Bosaso](/en/regions/bari/)**, the port city and commercial capital of [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/) ([Golis Telecom profile, archived 2007](https://web.archive.org/web/20071022212418/http://golistelecom.com/about_g.htm)). It is the largest operator in Puntland, and its network covers the main cities and more than **50 districts** (same source).

Golis has service centres in Garowe, Qardho, Galkayo, Las Anod, [Erigavo](/en/regions/sanaag/), Armo, [Galdogob](/en/history/ethiopian-somali-border-war-1982/), Burtinle, Bursalah, [Badhan](/en/regions/badhan/), [Dhahar](/en/regions/dhahar/), Bargal and Hingalol, among others ([Golis Telecom, About us](https://golistelecom.com/about-us/)). Wikipedia lists its chairman as Abdiaziz Guureeye Karshe and its chief operating officer as [Mohamed Ahmed](/en/people/skinz/) Bari ([Wikipedia, Golis Telecom Somalia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golis_Telecom_Somalia)).

## Services

- **Sahal**, the Golis mobile money wallet, used across Puntland. Wikipedia reports Golis was certified as a licensed mobile money provider for Sahal in 2023 ([Wikipedia, Golis Telecom Somalia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golis_Telecom_Somalia)).
- **Xogmaal**, an early phone information service for email, web search, exchange rates, weather and news from Somali and international broadcasters ([Golis, Xogmaal, archived 2007](https://web.archive.org/web/20071022113223/http://golistelecom.com/xogmal.htm)).
- **Kaaftoon**, a mobile banking service that Salaam Bank launched with Golis in Bosaso in August 2011 ([Puntland Voice, archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141016111930/http://puntlandvoice.com/salaam-puntland-bank-boosaaso-oo-soo-bandhigtay-adeeg-loogu-magac-daray-%E2%80%9Ckaaftoon%E2%80%9D/)).

In 2005 *The Economist* reported that Somali mobile users enjoyed some of the cheapest call rates in Africa, in an article about Golis ([The Economist, Somalia calling, December 2005](http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5328015)).

## Money and growth

A 2012 Hogan Lovells Africa newsletter, written by Hassan M. Osman of the Somali Economic Forum, said Golis bought its first equipment from China for **$2.7 million** and had repaid the whole sum two years later ([Hogan Lovells Africa newsletter, September 2012](https://www.hlc.com/~/media/hogan-lovells/pdf/publication/africaseptember2012newslettersomaliatelecoms_pdf.pdf)). A 2023 report in Kenya's *Standard* said Golis had grown to more than **1.2 million subscribers** and was investing in 4G ([The Standard, How Golis telco is changing Puntland's story](https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/africa/article/2001499614/how-golis-telco-is-changing-puntlands-story)).

## How it connects with others

In 2022 Golis joined the National Communications Authority's interconnection framework, which lets customers call between networks ([NCA, interconnection framework](https://nca.gov.so/interconnection-framework/)). The Clingendael Institute's 2019 study describes Golis in Puntland and Telesom in [Somaliland](/en/states/somaliland-1991-to-2026/) as entities aligned with Hormuud Telecom, each with its own local shareholders, and reports that the three held about 81 percent of Somali SIM cards ([Clingendael, Transnational capital in Somalia, June 2019](https://kpsrl.org/sites/kpsrl/files/2020-03/transnational-capital-in-somalia%20updated%20report.pdf)).

## Sources disagree

- **Who came first.** The 2012 Hogan Lovells newsletter calls Golis "among the first" private operators, while the same text names Somali Telecom (1994) as the first; Golis gives its own founding year as 2002 ([Hogan Lovells](https://www.hlc.com/~/media/hogan-lovells/pdf/publication/africaseptember2012newslettersomaliatelecoms_pdf.pdf)).
- **Profit.** The same newsletter says Golis reported over $40 million of profit in 2005, the same figure it gives for Hormuud's yearly sales (same source).

See also [Telesom](/en/businesses/telesom/), [Hormuud Telecom](/en/businesses/hormuud-telecom/) and [Who connects Somalia](/en/economy/who-connects-somalia/).

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