Somalia’s government has confirmed that its electronic visa system was hacked, exposing sensitive personal information belonging to thousands of travelers. The Immigration and Citizenship Agency said it has opened a full investigation and has since migrated the e-visa service to a new, “more secure” platform. While authorities did not specify how many people were affected, Western governments issued sharp warnings. The United States and the United Kingdom both cautioned that data from more than 35,000 visa applicants, including American and other foreign nationals may have been compromised.
The breach surfaced publicly last week after social media accounts circulated what appeared to be leaked applicant data. The incident has sparked new concerns over the vulnerability of Somalia’s expanding digital infrastructure, which the government has promoted as essential to strengthening national security, border control, and public service delivery. Former telecommunications minister and technology expert Mohamed Ibrahim criticized the government for what he described as a slow and opaque response, saying officials should have promptly informed the public and users of the system.
Meanwhile, Somaliland authorities condemned Mogadishu for keeping the compromised e-visa portal online after the attack, calling the move “institutionally irresponsible.” The incident has heightened already tense relations between Somalia and the self-declared republic, which are currently clashing over control of airspace, border management, and travel regulations. The government says further security upgrades are underway as investigators work to verify the scale of the breach and ensure it does not happen again.
