The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (Somali: Wasaaradda Gaadiidka iyo Duulista Hawada Soomaaliya) is a government ministry that oversees the country's transport infrastructure as well as the civil aviation sector. It operates under the Federal Government of Somalia, ensuring that it develops policies, regulations, and development programs on air transport, aviation safety, and national transport systems.[1][2] The current minister is Mohamed Farah Nuh.[3][4]
The transport and aviation sectors in Somalia have been regulated through various state institutions since the 1970s, the period of the Somali Democratic Republic, when legislation was adopted to govern national transport and civil aviation, including laws on technical licensing and aviation safety and Somalia Airlines.[5] These laid the legal foundation for later ministries responsible for land and air transport.
Following the collapse of the central government in 1991, the functions of the ministry were disrupted, and much of Somalia's airspace management came under international arrangements facilitated through the International Civil Aviation Organization. Media and parliamentary discussions in the 2010s described regaining full control of Somali airspace as a major national objective, noting the institutional and financial constraints that had to be overcome.[6]
The Ministry in its current federal form was established after the creation of the Federal Government of Somalia in 2012, and it was included in the 2012 cabinet. Since then, the ministry has gradually resumed responsibility for transport policy and civil aviation governance in collaboration with the Somali Civil Aviation Authority and international partners to rebuild infrastructure and institutional capacity.[7]
In 2020, a new Civil Aviation Law (Law No. 28 of 2020). It provided for a new framework for civil aviation in Somalia and described the roles of the aviation authority and relevant ministries.[8][9] Further regulations that have been adopted include those on road transport and vehicle registration.[9]
During the 2010s and 2020s, the ministry has participated in efforts to regain full operational control of Somali airspace, modernize airport infrastructure, and restore national aviation services. In November 2024, the ministry announced it had taken delivery of new equipment designed to improve air traffic management and airspace control in Somalia.[10]
Organization
According to the government's formal descriptions, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation bears responsibility for the governance of national transportation, managing and operating airports and national airlines, along with a number of other state-owned enterprises within the transport sector.[9]
The Ministry also liaises with domestic stakeholders on such aspects as road safety, traffic rules, and the enforcement of regulation on the use of public roads.[11]
MOTCA is led at the political level by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, who is assisted by a Deputy Minister, State Minister, and senior civil servants. Its departments include civil aviation, road transport, planning, legal and regulatory affairs, and administration.
Under the federal government, it is the technical civil aviation and meteorology body that oversees issues pertaining to airspace management and aviation regulation in liaison with the ministry.
To improve their administrative performance, the ministry announced several internal restructuring measures in September 2019; this included changes in different departmental directors.[12] In later years, appointments were also made to the positions of state minister and deputy minister for the ministry.[13]
Legislation
Key laws and regulations associated with the ministry's remit:
Civil Aviation Law (Law No. 28 of 2020) updates the legal framework in relation to civil aviation in Somalia and defines the responsibilities of the civil aviation authority and government institutions.[14]
Regulations on technical licensing and aviation maintenance personnel, adopted in 1987, are still part of the historical legal framework that underlies aviation oversight.[15] More recent regulations concerning the registration and verification of ownership of road vehicles in Somalia.
Activities and initiatives
The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation has been involved in various bilateral and multilateral initiatives concerning transport and aviation.
In May 2018, the ministry signed a cooperation agreement with the Government of Djibouti on civil aviation and transport matters. The agreement, inked by the Somali minister and his Djiboutian counterpart, covered technical cooperation and coordination between the two states’ aviation authorities.[16]
The ministry has also engaged in cooperation with international partners and organizations. These include meetings with foreign ambassadors and development agencies on airport rehabilitation, aviation safety, and transport sector development.[17][18][19]
Domestically, it has initiated road-safety-related initiatives, traffic rules, and public tenders. In 2025, the Ministry issued a tender for a pilot road-transport safety project and provided the public with briefings on plans and regulations concerning the use of roads in Somalia.[20][21]
The ministry has also been involved in labour-related and governance issues connected to major airports. In November 2025, the minister stated that labour complaints raised by staff at Aden Adde International Airport had been resolved following discussions between the ministry, management, and employees.[22]
In the same year, the ministry also announced measures against groups described as unlawfully exploiting licensing and registration services in the transport sector, asserting that those networks had been dismantled within a wider framework of anti-corruption and administrative reform.[23]
In 2024–2025, media reports and debates in parliament revealed higher levels of scrutiny of ministerial decisions made regarding airport fees and service charges, including a number of hearings to which the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation was invited to appear before the Federal Parliament.[24]
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