# Presidents of Puntland, 1998 to 2026

> Every holder of the office, with dates and a source on each row: Mohamed Abshir Muse, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Yusuf Haji Nur, Jama Ali Jama, Mohamed Abdi Hashi, Mohamud Muse Hersi Adde and others.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/institutions/presidents-of-puntland/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## In short

Puntland was declared an autonomous state in Garowe on 1 August 1998, covering [Bari](/en/regions/bari/) and [Nugaal](/en/regions/nugaal/) and claiming [Sool](/en/regions/sool/) and eastern [Sanaag](/en/regions/sanaag/). Before 1998 the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF) led the north-east. The Garowe II conference of February 2012 recognised Puntland as a state within Somalia. On 31 March 2024 Puntland withdrew its recognition of the federal government after constitutional amendments were adopted. ([World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland))

Each row below gives the holder's name in English and Somali spelling, dates in office and the source for that row. Dates are from [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland); where sources give different dates, the note says so. How we source: [How we check facts](/en/about/how-we-check-facts/).

## Chairmen of the Somali Salvation Democratic Front, 1991 to 1998

| Name | In office | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Mohamed Abshir Muse](/en/people/mohamed-abshir-muse/) (Maxamed Abshir Muuse) | 1991 to 22 August 1994 |  | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed](/en/people/abdullahi-yusuf-ahmed/) (Cabdillaahi Yuusuf Axmed) | 22 August 1994 to 1 August 1998 |  | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |

## Presidents of Puntland, since 1998

| Name | In office | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed](/en/people/abdullahi-yusuf-ahmed/) (Cabdillaahi Yuusuf Axmed) | 1 August 1998 to 30 June 2001 | first term | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| Yusuf Haji Nur (Yuusuf Xaaji Nuur) | 1 July 2001 to 14 November 2001 | acting | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Jama Ali Jama](/en/people/jama-ali-jama/) (Jaamac Cali Jaamac) | 14 November 2001 to 21 November 2001 | World Statesmen notes he contested the post until 8 May 2002; Wikipedia lists him as acting president to 8 May 2002 | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed](/en/people/abdullahi-yusuf-ahmed/) (Cabdillaahi Yuusuf Axmed) | 21 November 2001 to 14 October 2004 | second term; left to become President of Somalia; Wikipedia gives 8 May 2002 as the start of this term | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Mohamed Abdi Hashi](/en/people/mohamed-abdi-hashi/) (Maxamed Cabdi Xaashi) | 14 October 2004 to 8 January 2005 | acting; Wikipedia lists him as the second president, not acting | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Mohamud Muse Hersi Adde](/en/people/mohamud-muse-hersi/) (Maxamuud Muuse Xirsi Cadde) | 8 January 2005 to 11 January 2009 | Wikipedia gives 8 January 2009 as the end date | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Abdirahman Mohamed Farole](/en/people/abdirahman-farole/) (Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Faroole) | 11 January 2009 to 14 January 2014 | Wikipedia gives 8 January 2009 to 8 January 2014 | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas](/en/people/abdiweli-gaas/) (Cabdiweli Maxamed Cali Gaas) | 14 January 2014 to 8 January 2019 | Wikipedia gives 8 January 2014 as the start date | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |
| [Said Abdullahi Deni](/en/people/said-abdullahi-deni/) (Saciid Cabdullaahi Deni) | 8 January 2019 to now | re-elected in 2024, according to Wikipedia | [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html), [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland) |

## Related pages

- [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/)
- [Puntland's institutions](/en/institutions/puntland-institutions/)
- [Somali Salvation Democratic Front](/en/institutions/somali-salvation-democratic-front/)

## Sources

- [World Statesmen, Somalia](https://www.worldstatesmen.org/Somalia.html)
- [Wikipedia, President of Puntland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Puntland)

We also publish every row of every office-holder list as one open data file: [office-holders.csv](/data/institutions/office-holders.csv).

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