Key facts
Key facts for business in Somalia
The short answer
We could not confirm the company registry’s website for Somalia. Tax authority: Ministry of Finance – Somalia. Requirements, fees and timelines change – confirm them with the body concerned and a lawyer admitted in Somalia before you act.
| Legal system | Mixed (civil law, Islamic (Sharia) law and customary (xeer) law) |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Somali, Arabic |
| Currency | Somali shilling (SOS) |
| Regional blocs | East African Community, COMESA, IGAD |
| OHADA business law | No |
| AfCFTA (continental free trade) | Ratified (instrument deposited) |
| New York Convention (arbitral awards) | Not a party (checked October 2026) |
| ICSID Convention (investment disputes) | Contracting state – in force since 1968 |
| Apostille Convention (public documents) | Not a party – documents usually need legalization |
Treaty status from the official depositary records (UNCITRAL, ICSID, HCCH), regional blocs from their own websites, AfCFTA from tralac – checked October 2026. Not legal advice.
Official bodies
Who does what in Somalia
| What for | Official body | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Investment promotion | Somalia Investment Promotion Office (SOMINVEST) | sominvest.gov.so |
| Tax | Ministry of Finance – Somalia | mof.gov.so |
| Central bank, currency and foreign exchange | Central Bank of Somalia (CBS) | centralbank.gov.so |
| Work and residence permits | Immigration and Citizenship Agency – Federal Government of Somalia | immigration.gov.so |
| Courts and justice | Judiciary of the Federal Republic of Somalia (Supreme Court of Somalia) | judiciary.gov.so |
| Official business procedures portal | The Trade Portal (Somalia Trade Portal) | stip.gov.so |
We could not confirm an official website for: registering a company. We only link to sites we could open and confirm as the body’s own in October 2026.
Each link was opened and checked as the body’s own website in October 2026. Links to official sites only – never to agents or look-alike sites.
Getting started
What foreign businesses usually sort out first
- Choose how you will operate. A subsidiary, a branch, a representative office, or working through a local partner or distributor. The options and their conditions are set by national company law.
- Register the business. Company registration: the national company registry.
- Register for tax. Tax registration: Ministry of Finance – Somalia.
- Check investment rules and incentives. Some sectors have licensing, local-ownership or registration rules, and some investors qualify for incentives. Investment agency: Somalia Investment Promotion Office (SOMINVEST).
- Permits for foreign staff. Work and residence permits: Immigration and Citizenship Agency – Federal Government of Somalia.
- Banking and foreign exchange. Rules on accounts, moving money in and out and paying dividends abroad come from the central bank (Central Bank of Somalia (CBS)) and the banks.
- Contracts and disputes. Agree the governing law, the courts or arbitration seat, and the language. Somalia is not a party to the New York Convention – take advice on how a foreign judgment or award would be enforced.
A general checklist, not legal advice. What applies to you depends on your sector, structure and nationality.
Law firms
Law firms in Somalia for business matters
Elmi Center for Legal and Business Services (Elmi Legal Center)
Mogadishu
Hiil Law Firm
Mogadishu
Just Legal Services (JLS)
Hargeisa, Mogadishu
Somalia Law Firm
Mogadishu
Warsame Law
Mogadishu
5 firms in Somalia list corporate, tax, employment or other business work on their own websites. See every firm in Somalia.
Checking a lawyer in Somalia
We could not find an official online source for who admits lawyers in Somalia. Ask any lawyer you consider for their bar or law-society membership and admission details, and confirm them with that body or with the courts.
Questions
Doing business in Somalia: questions
Is Somalia a party to the New York Convention?
No, according to the UNCITRAL status table checked October 2026.
Does Somalia accept apostilles?
Somalia is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH status table, checked October 2026), so foreign public documents usually need legalization – typically through the issuing country’s foreign ministry and Somalia’s embassy or consulate. Confirm with the authority that will receive the document.
What currency is used in Somalia?
Somali shilling (SOS).