Constitutions and laws
Cybersecurity and cybercrime laws, Somalia
Somalia has two separate bills on online security. The Cybercrime Bill, approved by the Council of Ministers on 21 August 2025, makes hacking, data breaches and online fraud crimes. The Cybersecurity Law, passed by the House of the People on 26 January 2026, sets up a national cybersecurity framework and the Somalia Computer Incident Response Team (SOM-CIRT). A cybersecurity bill of 6 chapters and 33 articles had its first reading in the Upper House on 29 August 2026.
What laws cover cybersecurity in Somalia?
Two federal texts deal with online security. They are often confused in news reports:
- the Cybersecurity Law, which sets out who protects networks and how attacks are reported and handled; and
- the Cybercrime Bill, which makes harmful acts online into crimes and lets police and courts deal with them.
Somalia's Data Protection Act 2023 also places security duties on anyone who handles personal data.
The Cybersecurity Law
The House of the People of the Federal Parliament approved the Cybersecurity Law on 26 January 2026 (SONNA, 26 January 2026). According to SONNA and Goobjoog, the law:
- creates a national framework for managing cybersecurity;
- sets up the Somalia Computer Incident Response Team (SOM-CIRT);
- sets out the duties of the Ministry of Communications and Technology and the technical role of the National Communications Authority;
- places duties on operators of critical infrastructure; and
- sets out how incidents are prevented, reported and handled
(SONNA; Goobjoog, 26 January 2026).
National Communications Authority Director General Mustafa Yasin Sheikh called the vote "an important step" toward a coordinated national system. State Minister of Communications and Technology Ahmed Osman Dirie called the law "a critical pillar" for national cybersecurity (Radio Dalsan, 26 January 2026).
On 29 August 2026 the Upper House held the first reading of a cybersecurity bill with 6 chapters and 33 articles, described as a legal framework to prevent and respond to cyberattacks on internet infrastructure and digital services. It was read at the first sitting of the Senate's eighth session, chaired by Speaker Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, and was due for second and third readings (Dawan, 29 August 2026).
The Cybercrime Bill
The Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, approved the Cybercrime Bill on 21 August 2025. It was presented by the Minister of Communications and Technology (SONNA, 21 August 2025). SONNA reported that the bill:
- protects the safety and security of computer systems, networks and programs;
- bans the illegal use of computer systems;
- gives police a legal basis to detect, investigate and prosecute cybercrime; and
- names hacking, data breaches and online financial fraud as threats it covers.
The House of the People later began its review of a cybercrimes law (SONNA).
Timeline
| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 21 August 2025 | Cabinet approves the Cybercrime Bill |
| 26 January 2026 | House of the People approves the Cybersecurity Law |
| 29 August 2026 | Upper House holds first reading of a cybersecurity bill (6 chapters, 33 articles) |
Sources: as cited above.
Related pages
Sources
- SONNA, 26 January 2026 · sonna.so
- Goobjoog, 26 January 2026 · en.goobjoog.com
- Radio Dalsan, 26 January 2026 · radiodalsan.com
- Dawan, 29 August 2026 · dawan.africa
- SONNA, 21 August 2025 · sonna.so
- SONNA · sonna.so
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