Somalia has officially inaugurated its first-ever national stock exchange, the National Securities Exchange of Somalia (NSES), during a ceremony in the capital, marking a historic milestone in the country’s economic revival.
Top government officials including the chairman of the Somali Chamber of Commerce, the deputy minister of Energy and Water Resources, and representatives from the Somali Bankers Association attended the event. International dignitaries from the Rwanda Stock Exchange and Nairobi Securities Exchange were also present to witness the launch.
Set to begin trading in early 2026, the exchange aims to support key sectors such as telecommunications, banking, real estate, and energy, facilitating capital accumulation and bolstering long-term economic growth.
Appointed as NSES’s first CEO, Yasin M. Ibar emphasized the platform’s potential to offer Somali companies, including those backed by the diaspora, access to structured capital markets and to provide investors domestic and international a regulated avenue to participate in the country’s economic expansion.
Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Yassin Sheikh, confirmed state backing for the initiative, stating that the central bank will collaborate closely with NSES to uphold market integrity and transparency standards essential for attracting investor confidence.
A notable feature of the new exchange is the inclusion of Sharia-compliant instruments such as government-issued, aimed at financing infrastructure and development projects in line with Islamic finance principles.
To ensure widespread participation, the NSES plans investor education campaigns and roadshows targeting the Somali diaspora in the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Norway, and Kenya.
As a newly admitted member of the East African Stock Exchanges Association, NSES aims to enable cross-listings with other regional exchanges in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania propelling Somalia into a more integrated East African capital market network.
Economic revitalization: This marks a key transition from decades of informal and stability-driven finance to formal capital market infrastructure.
Diaspora engagement: It opens direct investment channels for Somalis abroad, aiming to channel remittances into national development.
Regional integration; Cross-listing agreements are expected to deepen trade and investment links with neighboring economies.
