Sahal: Golis Telecom's mobile money service in Puntland

The short version

Sahal is the brand name of Golis Telecom's mobile money service. Golis says it launched Sahal in 2009 (Golis Telecom, Sahal FAQ). Golis, founded in 2002, is the leading phone network in Puntland (The Standard, 25 July 2024). A 2019 Clingendael study counts Sahal, with Zaad and EVC Plus, among the mobile money platforms of the Hormuud-aligned companies (Clingendael, Transnational capital in Somalia, 2019, box 6).

How it works

Golis lists these services and rules (Golis Telecom, Sahal FAQ):

• Registration: a customer first needs a Golis number, then opens a Sahal account free at any Golis centre. Golis sends an SMS and a four-digit start key to activate the account. Some account types have levels with different identity requirements.
• Sending money: free transfers to anyone in Somalia.
• Paying: utility bills through a merchant paybill number, and shopping by paying the shop's account number.
• Airtime: top-ups from $0.25 to $100, for the customer's own phone or another Golis number.
• Cash: deposits and withdrawals at Golis centres and shops. When a shop pays out cash, the customer signs a log book that records Sahal transactions at that shop.

How customer money is held

Under Golis's customer terms, the e-money in a Sahal account stands for an equal amount of cash held by a trustee on the customer's behalf. The service is open to all Golis subscribers who register, and customers on other networks may have fewer features (Golis Telecom, Sahal terms and conditions).

Paying local taxes by phone

From 2021 local governments in Puntland have used mobile money to collect taxes. Garowe district piloted a phone-based tax payment system with support from UN-Habitat. The district recorded a threefold rise in local revenue, mainly from property, business and public transport taxes. With the Puntland Ministry of Interior and Golis, the system was then extended to Bosaso, Burtinle, Galkayo and Qardho (UN-Habitat, August 2021).

Certifications

• Golis and Hormuud became GSMA certified mobile money providers, the mobile industry body's standard for consumer protection and secure systems (Garowe Online).
• In July 2024 Golis received three ISO certifications in Garowe, covering quality management, mobile money and information security. A Mastercard service was launched at the same event, which Puntland's vice president attended (The Standard, 25 July 2024).

For the other services, see EVC Plus, Zaad and eDahab. For the wider picture, see Mobile money in Somalia.