• The government confirms a major intrusion into the newly launched national e-visa system, with data from tens of thousands of applicants potentially compromised.
• Authorities create a cybersecurity and forensics committee and move the platform to a new website as they assess the breach.
• The incident exposes structural weaknesses in Somalia’s digital systems, which rank Tier 4 on the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index.

Somalia confirmed a major breach of its electronic visa system, which the government launched in September to simplify travel procedures, modernise immigration services and strengthen national security. The announcement follows several international alerts, including a warning issued by the US Embassy on Thursday, 13 November 2025.

Officials said the intrusion may have compromised personal data of several tens of thousands of visa applicants. Early assessments indicate that exposed information could include names, photos, dates of birth, addresses and contact details.

The government created a committee involving security agencies, cybersecurity experts and international digital forensics specialists to determine the origin and full scope of the attack. Authorities also shifted the visa application platform to a new website while they analyse the vulnerabilities exploited by the attackers.

Officials said they will subject all related digital infrastructure to a full audit. The measure aims to prevent further breaches and restore the integrity of the e-visa system, which centralises information previously collected through manual procedures.

The breach occurs as Somalia accelerates its digital transformation and increases reliance on online state services. The e-visa system was designed to improve border control and streamline entry procedures for international travellers. The incident, however, underscores persistent cybersecurity risks and the exposure linked to data centralisation in what observers describe as a “fragile” institutional environment.

Somalia ranked Tier 4 in 2024 on the International Telecommunication Union’s Global Cybersecurity Index, scoring 37.38 out of 100. Mohamed Ibrahim, former Minister of Telecommunications and technology expert, told Al Jazeera: “Somalia is not a high-tech country, and hacking itself is not a big deal. But authorities should have been transparent with the public.”

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum