NIRA Inaugurates New National ID Registration and Issuance Center in Heliwaa District

Mogadishu, Somalia, September 22, 2025 – The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) today inaugurated a new National ID registration and issuance center in Heliwaa District, Benadir Region. The ceremony was officiated by NIRA’s Deputy Director General, Mr. Abdirahman Said Ahmed, together with the Benadir Deputy Governor for Security and Political Affairs, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed Dirie (Yabooh), and the District Commissioner of Heliwaa, Mr. Abdifatah Mohamed Hared.

The establishment of the Heliwaa center represents another important milestone in NIRA’s efforts to bring services closer to communities. Residents of the district will now have access to registration and issuance of the Somali National ID within their locality, reducing the burden of traveling long distances for this essential service.

Speaking at the launch, both the Deputy Director General and the District Commissioner urged the people of Heliwaa to take full advantage of the new facility and register for their National ID. They underlined that the National ID is not only vital for accessing services such as education, passports, healthcare, and banking, but also provides a lifelong Unique Identity Number that secures every Somali’s legal identity.

The Heliwaa center is the 15th facility of its kind to be established across Mogadishu’s districts. In his closing remarks, the Deputy Director General acknowledged the heavy turnout at existing NIRA centers and appealed for public patience as demand continues to grow. He reaffirmed NIRA’s commitment to expand registration capacity by opening additional centers to ease congestion and ensure that every Somali citizen can exercise their right to a secure legal identity under the principle of “Your ID, Your Right.”