• Somalia and Turkey signed a cooperation protocol between their telecom regulators covering cybersecurity and electronic communications.

• The agreement follows Somalia’s approval of a national cybersecurity law and comes as cyberattacks increase across Africa.

• Turkey ranks among global cybersecurity leaders, while Somalia remains in Tier 4 of the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index.

Somali authorities want to expand cooperation with Turkey across several areas of electronic communications, including cybersecurity. Regulators from both countries signed a cooperation protocol on February 10.

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Ankara, Türkiye – 10 February 2026 –The National Communications Authority (NCA) and the… pic.twitter.com/R2iHvZxCEw

— NCA Somalia (@SomaliaNCA) February 10, 2026

The National Communications Authority of Somalia and Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority agreed to collaborate beyond cybersecurity. The two institutions plan cooperation on satellite communications regulation, spectrum management, broadband infrastructure deployment, network and service security and resilience, internet regulation and other electronic communications regulatory matters.

This rapprochement comes days after the Somali parliament formally approved the country’s cybersecurity law. The legislation establishes a framework to secure the national cyberspace. The law also provides for stronger cooperation between public institutions, the private sector and international partners.

Within this framework, Somalia had already strengthened cooperation with Malaysia and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Authorities now aim to broaden these partnerships to accelerate capacity building.

Turkey, like Malaysia, ranks among reference countries in the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index. The index awarded Turkey the maximum score of 20 points across all five assessed pillars, resulting in a total score of 100 out of 100.

Somalia, by contrast, ranked in Tier 4 out of five, “demonstrating a basic commitment to cybersecurity.” The ITU said the country must intensify efforts, particularly in technical measures, legal frameworks and capacity development. Somalia recorded an overall score of 37.38 out of 100.

These cybersecurity reinforcement efforts come amid Africa’s accelerating digital transformation and a rise in cyberattacks. In November 2025, hackers breached Somalia’s e-visa platform and compromised the personal data of several thousand people.

Interpol reported that cybersecurity incidents across Africa between 2019 and 2025 caused estimated financial losses exceeding $3 billion. In this context, the ITU said stronger cybersecurity remains a prerequisite for countries seeking to fully benefit from digital transformation.

Isaac K. Kassouwi