Somalia has opened its 30th overseas national ID registration office at the Somali embassy in Nairobi to enable citizens in Kenya to register for biometric identity cards locally ahead of the Kenya-Somalia border reopening in April.
Somalia’s new ID registration center in Nairobi simplifies biometric card issuance for citizens in Kenya just weeks before the historic border reopening aims to revive trade and family connections while addressing longstanding security issues.
The National Identification and Registration Authority inaugurated the office on 27 March. The launch was led by the authority’s director general Abdiweli Ali Abdulle and Somali Ambassador to Kenya Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle.
The new facility will enable Somali nationals living in Kenya to register for their national ID cards without travelling back home, significantly reducing costs, delays and logistical challenges.
“Somalis living in Kenya can now register and obtain their national ID card at the embassy, marking the 30th office established abroad as we expand access to the Somali national ID,” the ambassador said.
Biometric features of the national ID
The national ID is a biometric document featuring an 11-digit unique lifetime number, fingerprints and photographs stored in a secure database. It prevents duplication and supports verification for government services, banking and travel.
Applicants provide detailed biometric data during registration. Authorities plan to roll out multiple versions of the identification card, including digital and smartcard formats, allowing seamless integration into modern systems.
This rollout forms part of a broader push to issue foundational digital IDs and link them to public and private services across the country.
Border reopening planned for April
The initiative coincides with the planned reopening of the roughly 700-kilometre Kenya-Somalia border in April, more than 14 years after it was closed in 2011 due to security threats.
President William Ruto government announced the phased reopening during a visit to Mandera. The move aims to boost cross-border trade, reconnect divided families and support regional integration following Somalia’s entry into the East African Community.
The border was shut after a series of attacks linked to al-Shabaab, including the 2013 Westgate mall siege in Nairobi that killed at least 67 people and the 2015 assault on Garissa University College that claimed 148 lives.
The reopening will focus on key crossing points with enhanced intelligence-led security measures and full alert status for security forces.
Mixed reactions over security concerns
Many Kenyans remain skeptical about the border reopening, fearing it could facilitate militant infiltration and revive attacks on infrastructure and civilians. Critics have questioned the timing amid ongoing threats along the frontier.
Supporters highlight potential economic gains, reduced illegal crossings through better documentation and the benefits of formalising movement for communities split by the long closure.
The Somali embassy initiative is viewed by officials as complementary, helping ensure citizens are properly documented as cross-border activity resumes.
Analysts say successful implementation will depend on robust security coordination between Nairobi and Mogadishu as well as continued regional stabilisation efforts.
