Somalia’s House of the People has approved the Digital Transactions Bill, setting up a legal framework for digital payments, according to the Ministry of Communications and Technology.
The ministry said in a statement distributed on 21 October 2026 from Mogadishu, Somalia, that 137 Members of Parliament voted in favour at a plenary session. The ministry, along with other institutions, drafted the bill, and it went through readings, deliberations, and a presentation to the House before the vote.
What the ministry says the bill does
The ministry said the bill seeks to establish a legal framework governing digital transactions so Somalia’s regulation keeps pace with new technology and the growing demand for digital services. It cited electronic payment systems, digital currencies, and financial transactions on digital platforms as the context.
The statement noted that mobile money services are widely used across Somalia, and said a clear legal framework would support economic development and public confidence.
Minister of Communications and Technology Mohamed Adam Moalim, known as Mohamed Soomaali, thanked MPs and the parliamentary committee on communications and technology for reviewing and advancing the bill.
Details still to come
The statement did not set out the bill’s provisions, say when it takes effect, or name the regulator that will enforce it. It also did not say whether the bill needs further approval before becoming law.
Separately, in Somaliland, Wadaag Bank is building a digital Islamic banking service, which we covered in a Q&A in August. Mobile money is also driving product launches elsewhere, such as Safaricom’s Shari’ah money market fund on M-PESA.
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