Mogadishu – 16 November 2025: The Immigration and Citizenship Agency of Somalia has confirmed that an illegal attempt was made to access parts of the country’s electronic Travel Authorization System (e-TAS), which stores data belonging to travellers entering and exiting Somalia.
According to an official press statement, the agency immediately activated emergency response procedures to halt the attempted breach and contain any potential impact. The Federal Government of Somalia has assigned high priority to the matter and appointed a national-level investigative committee composed of security agencies, international forensic experts, and relevant government institutions responsible for data protection.
The committee has begun a comprehensive investigation to determine the source of the attempted intrusion, how it occurred, and the extent of any potential exposure. The agency stated that once the investigation concludes, a detailed public report will be issued outlining the findings, verified information, and corrective measures taken.
During the ongoing investigation, individuals who may have been affected will be notified directly through official government communication channels only. The Immigration and Citizenship Agency of Somalia urged the public and international travellers to rely exclusively on official updates from the agency to avoid misinformation and security risks.
The agency emphasized that the attempted breach has been contained and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the personal data of citizens and travellers. It added that major enhancements are underway to strengthen Somalia’s digital security infrastructure, including modern data-protection systems and multi-factor authentication across all services managed by the Immigration and Citizenship Agency.
The agency encouraged travellers and the public to remain vigilant and obtain accurate information only from its official e-TAS support office.
