EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –
Somalia has confirmed the presence of uranium, lithium and cobalt, alongside other mineral resources, as it seeks international investment, technical expertise and financing to develop its largely untapped extractive sector. However, the commercial viability and exact locations of the deposits have not been disclosed, while security concerns, weak infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty and limited exploration investment continue to constrain the sector.
Keywords: Somalia, uranium, lithium, cobalt, critical minerals, mining, mineral resources, extractive industries, investment, resource development, Africa, Horn of Africa, mineral exploration, National Transformation Plan, Vision 2060, natural resource governance.
21 September 2026 05:14 PM
Somalia has confirmed the presence of uranium, lithium and cobalt as the Horn of Africa country seeks investors to develop its largely untapped mineral resources.
- Somalia has confirmed the presence of uranium, lithium, and cobalt, aiming to attract investors for its untapped mineral resources.
- President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced these findings during the Somalia Development Financing Forum but did not disclose specific deposit sizes or locations.
- Somalia is also exploring offshore oil and gas resources, seeking investment, expertise, and international cooperation to develop its extractive sector.
- Neighboring Ethiopia is also investing in critical minerals, while Somalia is working to improve investor conditions as part of its National Vision 2060 to boost domestic production and economic growth.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the country had confirmed the presence of uranium, lithium and cobalt as the government seeks investment to develop the resources.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said the country had confirmed the presence of uranium, lithium and cobalt as the government seeks investment to develop the resources.
Mohamud made the announcement while opening the Somalia Development Financing Forum in Mogadishu over the weekend.
“Today, the world is keenly interested in minerals, particularly so-called critical minerals,” Mohamud said. “Whether it is uranium, lithium, cobalt or many others currently sought after globally, their presence in Somalia has been confirmed.”
However, the president did not disclose the size or location of the deposits or whether they are commercially viable.
Somalia has more untapped resources
The three minerals add to Somalia’s broader resource base, which the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources says includes iron ore, copper, tin, gold, bauxite, phosphates, gypsum and salt.
Despite that potential, commercial mining remains limited, with small-scale miners producing modest quantities of gold, gemstones, granite, marble and salt.
Beyond mining, Somalia is also exploring offshore oil and gas while seeking more investment in fisheries, livestock and agriculture.
Why investors have stayed away
However, turning that resource potential into large-scale investment has proved difficult.
Decades of conflict, security threats linked to al-Shabaab, weak infrastructure, high electricity costs and concerns over regulation and contract enforcement have weighed on investor confidence.
The mining sector has also operated under an ageing legal framework, with a 2025 assessment noting that Somalia still relied on a 1984 mining law while newer legislation awaited enactment.
In response, Mogadishu is seeking to strengthen regulation, improve security and attract more private capital.
Somalia joins Africa’s underexplored mineral markets
Somalia joins several African markets with significant mineral potential that remains underexplored or underdeveloped.
A 2025 study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies examined 14 mineral-rich African countries and found that the continent continues to attract a relatively small share of global exploration spending despite its extensive mineral resources.
Countries including Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique and Niger have substantial mineral potential, but exploration and project development have been slowed by financing gaps, infrastructure shortages, regulatory uncertainty and security risks.
As a result, Africa accounted for about 10.4% of global mineral exploration spending in 2024, down from 16% in 2004, according to the study.
Somalia seeks investors
In Somalia, the government is now seeking to attract more investment into the mining sector.
Mohamud said developing the country’s resources would require investment, technical expertise and international cooperation.
The government is using its National Transformation Plan 2025-2029 and Vision 2060 to attract investment into mining, energy, agriculture, fisheries, livestock and infrastructure.
The plans are intended to increase domestic production, raise government revenue and diversify the economy.
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