Mogadishu — Somalia’s Ambassador to the United States, Dahir Hassan Arab, announced on Tuesday that the country is officially open for oil drilling and exploration, inviting U.S. energy companies to re-engage in Somalia’s hydrocarbon sector.
In a post on social media platform X, Ambassador Arab wrote, “Proud to announce that Somalia is officially open for drilling. I invite U.S. energy companies to return. SSC-Khaatumo is now recognized as a Federal Member State and the lifting of force majeure clears the way for oil exploration & extraction in the resource-rich Nugaal Valley Basin.”
The announcement follows the Federal Government of Somalia’s formal recognition of the SSC-Khaatumo administration as a federal member state. The move, declared by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre during a visit to Las Anod on Sunday, brings SSC-Khaatumo and existing member states into Somalia’s federal framework.
With SSC-Khaatumo now recognized and lifting force majeure restrictions—previously imposed due to insecurity—Somalia is moving to revive its petroleum exploration ambitions, particularly in the Nugaal Valley, a region believed to hold significant untapped oil and gas reserves.
Somalia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources has repeatedly stated that the country is open to international investment, but security concerns and legal uncertainties over federal and regional jurisdiction have hampered progress. The new recognition of SSC-Khaatumo and inclusion in federal governance structures may help resolve past disputes over resource control in the area.
Prime Minister Barre also formally invited SSC-Khaatumo leader Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw-Ali Firdhiye to attend the upcoming National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting scheduled for May 1–2 in Mogadishu. The NCC brings federal and regional leaders together to deliberate on national priorities, including resource management, security coordination, and constitutional reform.
