Entrepreneurs in Somalia have long operated in a fragmented financial landscape, where access to funding was limited and formal investment opportunities were nearly nonexistent. With the establishment of the National Securities Exchange of Somalia (NSES), that reality is beginning to change. The exchange provides a credible platform for raising capital, attracting diaspora investment and enabling growth in sectors that have been underfunded for decades. For founders and business owners, this is a game-changing opportunity to take their ventures to the next level.
For many Somali entrepreneurs, financing has always been a game of survival, relying on remittances, informal networks and short-term solutions to grow their businesses. Now, with the creation of the NSES, Somalia is opening the door to something it has never had before: structured access to long-term capital through the public markets. This changes the game entirely for business owners with the ambition and vision to scale but who have long been held back by a lack of formal investment opportunities.
The new stock exchange is not just a symbol of national recovery, it is a tool for empowerment, giving Somali businesses a credible path to raise funds, increase transparency and position themselves for regional or even global growth. The NSES is expected to go live with trading in early 2026, focusing initially on stocks and sukuk (Islamic bonds), a move that reflects the country’s Islamic financial culture and offers inclusive options for businesses and investors alike.
A key innovation in this initiative is the exchange’s dual focus on local businesses and the Somali diaspora. By offering investment channels to Somalis abroad, in countries like the UK, US, Norway, Turkey and Kenya, the NSES is strategically tapping into a community that has long expressed interest in supporting business back home but lacked safe and transparent avenues to do so. This means more than just funding; it means mentoring, market access and the return of business knowledge to Somali soil.
For Somali entrepreneurs, this diaspora engagement can be transformative. It allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to attract funding beyond the limited local banking system, while providing them the credibility that comes with listing on a national exchange. In practical terms, a small real estate developer in Mogadishu, a fintech startup in Hargeisa or a renewable energy company in Garowe can now dream bigger, because the infrastructure to support that dream is being built in real time.
The NSES will start by targeting priority sectors like telecommunications, banking, energy and real estate, areas where Somali entrepreneurs are already active but in need of capital to modernize and expand. The stock exchange will also play a role in enabling government-issued sukuk, which will help fund national infrastructure projects. This creates a two-way benefit: while the government secures funds for development, local businesses involved in construction, logistics or service provision can tap into a wave of new contracts and economic activity.
Crucially, the private management of the exchange, supported by the Somali Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, ensures that it has both independence and strong institutional backing. This combination is critical in a country where trust in financial systems is still growing. The involvement of these key institutions gives entrepreneurs greater confidence that the market will be regulated transparently and aligned with international standards, an essential requirement for both local and foreign investors.
Recognizing that financial literacy is a major barrier, especially in a country where formal financial inclusion is low, the NSES has also committed to nationwide education campaigns. These will target not only the urban business elite but also rural entrepreneurs, women-led enterprises and younger founders eager to participate in the digital economy. These campaigns extend to the diaspora, encouraging Somalis abroad to learn how to safely invest in the exchange and support businesses back home.
Somalia’s membership in the East African Stock Exchanges Association marks another important step. By linking up with regional exchanges in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, the country is not just creating a local platform but connecting its businesses to a wider East African capital market ecosystem. This means cross-border investments, shared regulatory frameworks and more visibility for Somali businesses.
While the launch of the NSES is a national milestone, its true value will be measured in how many entrepreneurs it uplifts. In a country where resilience has long been the currency of survival, this new financial structure offers hope, credibility and opportunity. For once, entrepreneurs in Somalia are not just surviving, they are being invited to thrive.
As the world watches this bold experiment unfold, Somalia’s entrepreneurs are ready. And this time, they’ll have a market to back them.
