By Enock Sithole
A newly released investigative journalism report tracking developments in Somalia throughout 2025, paints a complicated and often troubling picture of a nation struggling to balance security, governance, economic recovery and fundamental freedoms.
The Investigative Journalism Report: Somalia 2025, a 31-page annual publication issued by Oktoober 24 on December 31, 2025, draws on field investigations, official documents and interviews to assess the country’s political trajectory over the past year. The publication examines “key developments, challenges, and accountability issues … critical updates on governance, security, corruption, economic trends and social change,” the report states.
Security conditions in Somalia remained volatile throughout 2025. Despite efforts by the Federal Government of Somalia and allied forces to expand exerted control over more territory, violent incidents persisted, particularly in Mogadishu and other urban centres.
Experts quoted in the report highlighted how the ongoing conflict complicates everyday life and economic reconstruction. “Security gains are fragile,” one observer cited in the report noted. “Civilians bear the brunt of insecurity, and journalists documenting these realities risk their lives in the process.”
Press freedom: A shrinking space
One of the starkest themes emerging from the report was the deterioration of media freedoms. Multiple media rights organisations reported an increase in violations against journalists in 2025, including arbitrary arrests, beatings, threats and censorship by state and non-state actors.
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) documented a sharp rise in media freedom violations, with at least 41 clearly documented incidents in the first half of 2025 alone — the highest mid-year figure in three years. “What is happening is not law enforcement,” said Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of NUSOJ, quoted in the report. “It is a brutal effort to crush the media and control what people see and hear.”
Violence against journalists includes not only physical abuse but also legal repression. Outdated penal code provisions have been invoked to target reporters for supposedly “insulting public officials” and similar charges. Analysts say these laws are being weaponised to stifle dissent and limit the public’s right to information.
Civil society groups have repeatedly called for legal reforms. “Journalists are not criminals,” Osman said. “They are the conscience of the country and the voice of its people. They must be defended, not demonised or thrown into prison.”
The situation is especially dire for women journalists, who face both online and offline harassment, gender-based violence and workplace discrimination. A separate report published by allAfrica.com documented 79 cases of sexual and gender-based violence against female media workers from 2023 to 2025, highlighting the gendered nature of the crisis.
Governance and corruption: Accountability gaps
The report also scrutinised governance and corruption, noting persistent challenges at federal and regional levels. Somalia’s political system continues to grapple with institutional weaknesses, fractured power structures and limited accountability.
Corruption remains endemic, with allegations ranging from bribery in public procurement to unlawful detentions and lax oversight over security agencies. Investigative journalists documented instances in which public officials abused their positions to enrich themselves or suppress criticism — actions that undermine public trust and hinder state legitimacy.
Observers quoted in the report stressed the need for structural reforms. “Corruption corrodes not only the economy, but the social contract between citizens and the state,” said a governance specialist based in Mogadishu quoted in the report. “Without meaningful transparency, institutional trust will continue to erode,” warns the report.
Economically, Somalia made some tentative progress in sectors such as telecommunications, remittances and livestock exports, three pillars of the national economy. However, widespread unemployment and inadequate investment in infrastructure continue to limit sustainable growth.
The report flagged concerns over fiscal management and the uneven distribution of economic benefits. Rural communities, in particular, face persistent food insecurity and limited access to basic services, exacerbated by climate shocks such as drought.
Despite this, small private enterprises and diaspora investments provided some resilience. A local entrepreneur interviewed for the report described how small businesses continue to innovate despite instability. “We adapt, because we have no choice,” she said. “Our communities depend on it.”
Social change and civil society resilience
Beyond violence and politics, the investigative report documented notable strides in civil society activism and community engagement. Grassroots groups have mobilised around women’s rights, electoral participation and local governance reforms, injecting new voices into Somalia’s public discourse.
One notable development was the commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, attended by government officials and media leaders alike. Hassan Moalim Mahmoud, Somalia’s minister of justice, who spoke at the event, pledged that outdated penal code provisions would be reviewed to better protect journalists — a rare gesture of official recognition of media safety concerns.
As Somalia enters 2026, the investigative report underscores a crucial juncture. While security and governance reforms have made some headway, deep-rooted challenges remain. Press freedom advocates warn that without concrete legal reforms and protective measures for journalists, Somalia’s democratic transition will remain incomplete.
The document serves as both a chronicle of the year’s events and a call to action, urging authorities, civil society and international partners to confront insecurity, corruption and repression with urgency and resolve.
This paper was originally published in the Ajen newsletter