A senior Kenyan mining expert, Thomas, has called for enhanced cooperation and institutional collaboration between Kenya and Somaliland in the mining sector, during his address at the Somaliland Minerals Expo 2025, officially launched by President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Cirro) at the Mansoor Hotel.
Speaking at the landmark exhibition, Thomas said he was in Somaliland to share Kenya’s experiences and lessons learned in developing and regulating its mining sector, noting strong similarities between the institutional structures of the two countries.
He recalled high-level engagements between Somaliland and Kenya, highlighting President Cirro’s previous discussions with Kenya’s leadership, including both the current and former presidents, on cooperation in the extractive sector. According to Thomas, these engagements laid a solid foundation for deeper collaboration.
Thomas acknowledged that Kenya’s mining sector faced significant organizational challenges prior to 2016, describing the period as one marked by weak systems and regulatory gaps. However, he said substantial reforms have since transformed the sector through automation and digitization.
He explained that Kenya has introduced an online mining cadaster system that allows licenses to be applied for digitally, alongside automated royalty collection, explosives management, and mining information systems. These reforms, he noted, have improved transparency, efficiency, and revenue collection.
Addressing the challenge of illegal mining, Thomas said Kenya has suffered significant losses from minerals being smuggled out of the country. In response, the government established a specialized Mining Police Unit tasked with combating illegal mining and ensuring minerals leave the country through legal channels, thereby safeguarding public revenue and national benefits.
He also highlighted the establishment of Kenya’s National Mining Corporation (NAMICO), a state-owned entity mandated to undertake mining and exploration activities. NAMICO, he said, can enter partnerships with private companies and foreign governments, participating in mineral development on equal footing with private investors.
Thomas noted that he had the privilege of serving as NAMICO’s first Chief Executive Officer, during which time he helped build the corporation’s foundational structures, including human resource frameworks, organizational systems, strategic and business plans, and operational guidelines.
Turning to Somaliland, Thomas expressed strong interest in cooperation, offering Kenya’s support in establishing a similar state mining agency or corporation. He said collaboration could also extend to capacity building, staff exchanges between Somaliland and Nairobi, and academic cooperation through Kenyan universities.
Concluding his remarks, Thomas emphasized that sharing experiences and technical expertise between Kenya and Somaliland could strengthen the mining sector in both countries and improve livelihoods for their people, describing the partnership as mutually beneficial and forward-looking.