By Asha Elmi - Reporter
Somalia, 16 November 2025 — The Director General of the Somali Immigration and Nationality Agency, Mustafa Sheikh Ali Duhulow, has warned against what he described as “coordinated misinformation campaigns” aimed at discrediting government systems, particularly the Electronic Travel Authorization System (eTAS).
Speaking at an event in Mogadishu on Saturday night, Duhulow said some media reports circulating in recent days were intended to erode public confidence in Somalia’s immigration services and the government’s ongoing reform agenda.
He stressed that eTAS was introduced to strengthen Somalia’s state institutions and align national travel procedures with international standards.
“A Somali individual cannot undermine the dignity, authority, honour or unity of the state. One, two, or even three people cannot attempt such a thing — nor is it something that can be tolerated or experimented with,” Duhulow said.
The director general added that false allegations had specifically targeted the eTAS system, noting that those spreading such claims were driven by their own agendas.
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He strongly criticised what he called public attacks on national projects, warning that such behaviour threatens state stability.
“It is dangerous for national projects that protect state institutions to be attacked publicly. This matter requires caution and vigilance — it is not something to play with,” he said.
The Electronic Travel Authorization System (eTAS) is a digital pre-screening platform introduced by the Federal Government of Somalia on 1 September 2025.It is mandatory for all travellers entering Somalia without a Somali passport.
The system allows travellers to apply online before departure, enabling immigration authorities to verify identities, strengthen border security, and streamline processing at points of entry.
Duhulow did not address recent widespread claims that Somalia’s wider e-visa system had been hacked — a topic that has dominated social media and local news coverage in recent days, and one the government has yet to comment on publicly.
