Country context (P3 lens)

Somalia is a low-income country in the Horn of Africa with a very nascent and fragile P3 market. P3s are used to mobilize private capital, accelerate infrastructure delivery, and transfer operational risk, primarily in transport, energy, and social infrastructure. Due to security, institutional, and regulatory challenges, P3 activity is limited and often relies on international development partners, regional investors, and donor support.

Verified sources: World Bank PPP Knowledge Lab, Somali Ministry of Finance, African Development Bank (AfDB), IMF, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Economic and infrastructure conditions

• Economy: Services- and agriculture-driven, with livestock, trade, and remittances as key contributors; infrastructure investment focuses on connectivity, energy access, and essential services.

• Infrastructure priorities:

  • Roads, bridges, and transport networks

  • Ports and airport facilities

  • Electricity generation and distribution (mostly diesel and small-scale renewable projects)

  • Water supply, sanitation, and wastewater management

  • Schools, hospitals, and other social infrastructure

• Private sector: Extremely limited domestic investor base; projects rely heavily on regional and international investors, multilateral development banks, and donor agencies.

Public Private Partnerships framework

Legal and institutional setup

• P3 activity is currently ad hoc, with no fully operational national PPP law or unit, though frameworks are being developed with donor support.

• Project approval typically requires feasibility studies, donor endorsement, and risk assessment.

• Potential P3 structures include:

  • Concessions for roads, ports, and airports

  • Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) for energy and utilities

  • Availability-payment contracts for social infrastructure where feasible

Market characteristics

• The P3 market is highly nascent and donor-dependent due to institutional and security constraints.

• Financing structures include blended finance, availability payments, revenue-sharing, and guarantees from development partners.

• Investors include regional private companies, international development institutions, and donor agencies.

Sector experience and opportunities

Transport

• Roads, bridges, ports, and airport upgrades are potential P3 opportunities, mainly supported by donor or multilateral guarantees.

Energy and utilities

• Small-scale solar, diesel, and hybrid electricity projects under BOT or concession arrangements.

• Water and sanitation projects are primarily donor- or NGO-led but could adopt P3 structures.

Social infrastructure

• Schools, hospitals, and municipal facilities delivered through donor-backed or availability-payment P3s, where security and institutional capacity allow.

Key P3 considerations

• Scale and market depth: Very limited domestic investors; international and regional partners are essential.

• Project preparation: Strong feasibility, risk assessment, and donor coordination are critical.

• Risk allocation: Construction, operational, and maintenance risks are often supported or underwritten by donors; regulatory risk is significant.

• Institutional capacity: Limited government capacity; external advisory and donor support is essential for project design and monitoring.

Outlook

Somalia is a nascent P3 market with opportunities in transport, energy, water, and social infrastructure, but activity is constrained by security, institutional capacity, and political stability:

• Focus sectors: roads, bridges, ports, airports, energy, water, and social infrastructure

• Projects are generally small- to medium-scale, donor- or multilateral-supported, and require structured risk mitigation

• Institutional frameworks are emerging, with P3s dependent on regional and international partnerships