Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has announced that his country will start drilling oil ''in the coming months.''
President Mohamud made the announcement on Monday at the opening the 7th Session of the Federal Parliament in Mogadishu, saying this milestone will spur Somalia’s development.
“Our commitment is to use the wealth God has blessed Somalia with to drive growth,” he said, citing forthcoming mega projects including new roads, airports, ports, and what he described as Africa’s first satellite launch station.
Somalia is believed to have some of the world’s largest oil reserves.
Turkish support
In October 2024, the Turkish oil exploration vessel, Oruç Reis, sailed to Somalia to conduct seismic surveys for oil and natural gas in three areas where Türkiye has secured exploration licences.
"This is a significant achievement that reinforces our objective for Somalia to fully harness its natural resources, transforming them into economic opportunities and social progress," President Mohamud had said during an inspection tour at the time.
The oil and gas survey by Oruç Reis vessel was part of the wider cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia.
In furtherance of the cooperation, Türkiye and Somalia signed an onshore hydrocarbon exploration and production agreement in April 2025.
The deal allows Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to begin oil and gas exploration across three land blocks covering approximately 16,000 square kilometres in Somalia.
Space vision
The agreement was signed in Ankara by Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Dahir Shire Mohamed, marking a new phase in bilateral cooperation following earlier offshore agreements.
During his Monday’s address in the parliament, President Mohamud also stressed Somalia’s commitment to the construction of a satellite launch station with the support of Türkiye. It is expected to be the first such station on the African continent.
While details remain limited, the project underscores Mogadishu’s ambition to leap into advanced technology and infrastructure, presenting Somalia not only as a state emerging from conflict but as a potential innovator in global development.
President Mohamud also told lawmakers that Somalia’s security environment has improved significantly in the past three years, saying the largest portion of the federal budget is dedicated to security and military reforms.
The President also praised the parliament for passing legislation that secured debt relief for the country and for advancing constitutional reforms that had stalled for many years.
He noted that the government is able to pay the monthly salaries of 100,000 soldiers, civil servants, teachers, and political staff entirely from internal resources.
“This is the fruit of citizen contributions through taxation,” President Mohamud said.
