Federal government: ministries and agencies
Somalia's medicines regulator and the 2026 Medicine Law
Somalia set up an interim National Medicines Regulatory Agency under the health ministry in February 2023. In January 2026 the House of the People passed a Medicine Bill by 141 votes to none, to create a permanent authority for medicines and health equipment. The 2027 budget proposes the regulator's first own budget line, of US$60,000.
What it does
A medicines regulator decides which medicines may be imported and sold, licenses pharmacies and importers, and checks quality. A 2026 journal article reports that the federal government, through the Ministry of Health, set up an interim National Medicines Regulatory Agency on 19 February 2023 (Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2026).
The 2026 Medicine Law
On 3 January 2026 the House of the People passed the Medicine Bill at its third reading, with 141 votes in favour, one abstention and none against. The bill was drafted by the Ministry of Health and reviewed by the House's social services committee. The committee chair, Nadra Salah Abdi, said it would strengthen oversight of medicines and help protect patients from unsafe or counterfeit drugs (Hiiraan Online, January 2026). Dawan Africa reported that the law creates a Somali Pharmaceutical and Health Equipment Authority, to be set up once the law comes into effect (Dawan Africa).
Health Minister Dr Ali Haji Adam welcomed the vote (Hiiraan Online, January 2026).
The money
The figures are from the federal Appropriation Act for 2027 as submitted to parliament, where the body is sub-head 040101 under the Ministry of Health (Ministry of Finance, Appropriation Act 2027):
| Year | US$ |
|---|---|
| 2025 (actual) | none |
| 2026 (budget) | none |
| 2027 (proposed) | 60,000 |
The line first appears in the 2027 proposal.
All federal bodies' budgets are compared on federal bodies and their budgets.
Other records
- Egypt: in June 2026 Egypt's Drug Authority signed a memorandum of understanding with its Somali counterpart on medicines and biological products (Masrawy, 17 June 2026).
- Somaliland: Somaliland suspended the sale of medicines made in Mogadishu, citing its own quality-control requirements (Dawan Africa).
- A 2026 journal article on pharmacy in Somalia says frameworks have been developed but enforcement remains limited (Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2026).
How the work is shared
The regulator sits under the federal Ministry of Health. WHO advises on medicines policy.
Sources
- Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2026 · dovepress.com
- Hiiraan Online, January 2026 · hiiraan.com
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
- Ministry of Finance, Appropriation Act 2027 · mof.gov.so
- Masrawy, 17 June 2026 · masrawy.com
- Dawan Africa · dawan.africa
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Where this matters
Same era
- Australia18,401 people of Somali ancestry and 8,101 born in Somalia lived in Australia at the 2021 Census, more than half in Victoria. History, work, issues.
- Birmingham (Somali diaspora)About 17,000 to 21,600 Somalis live in Birmingham (Census 2021), mostly in Nechells, Newtown, Small Heath and Alum Rock. History, work, health and ties home.
- Bristol (Somali diaspora)9,167 people in Bristol identified as Somali or Somalilander in Census 2021, the city's largest minority group. Where they live, work, housing, leaders and ties home.
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada2,845 people of Somali origin lived in Calgary at the 2021 Census, plus 890 in Brooks. How they came, who serves them and what they face.
- Denmark (Somali diaspora)21,885 people of Somali origin lived in Denmark in 2026, half born there. Numbers, history, work, permit reviews, and ties home.
- DjiboutiAbout 13,900 refugees from Somalia live in Djibouti (Aug 2026): numbers since 1990, Ali Addeh, Holl-Holl, the 2017 refugee law, Arta 2000 and 2025 returns.
Keep reading
- Every federal government body in Somalia and its budget, 2025 to 2027A directory of every body in Somalia's federal budget: ministries, agencies, courts, commissions and security forces, with 2025 spending, 2026 budget and 2027 proposed budget in US dollars, and a CSV download.
- The Federal Government of Somalia: how it is organisedHow Somalia's federal government is built: its history since 2012, its branches, ministries, agencies and independent offices, how it relates to the member states, its staff and budget, and where to find each part.
- Somalia's federal government: the President, the Prime Minister and the Council of MinistersHow Somalia's federal executive works: the President's powers, the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, the list of ministries, and presidents since 1960.
- Ministry of Education of Somalia (Wasaaradda Waxbarashada): what it doesWhat Somalia's federal education ministry does: curriculum, national exams, teachers, school counts and higher education, how it shares the work with the member states, and the separate ministries in Puntland and Somaliland.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Somalia (Wasaaradda Arrimaha Dibadda): embassies and diplomacyWhat Somalia's foreign ministry does, who leads it, where Somalia has embassies, the main issues in 2024 to 2026, and what Somalis abroad can get from an embassy.
- Ministry of Health of Somalia (Wasaaradda Caafimaadka): what it doesWhat Somalia's federal health ministry does: policy, vaccines, medicines, coordination of aid; who leads it; its budget 2025 to 2027; what it reports doing in 2026; and how the work is shared with Puntland, Somaliland and the member states.