The Minister of Transport and Road Development of Somaliland, Osman Afgaab Noor, has announced a major push to complete the long-delayed replacement of old vehicle registration plates, declaring that June and July will be dedicated to finalizing the nationwide exercise.
Speaking on the matter, the minister said the replacement program, which was launched in 2018, has taken far longer than originally intended. He described the prolonged transition period as unsatisfactory and stressed that the government is now determined to bring the process to a close.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Transport and Road Development has introduced measures aimed at accelerating the replacement campaign and ensuring that all vehicles still carrying the old registration plates are switched to the new standardized plates.
“During the two months of June and July, we will focus all our efforts on replacing the old vehicle plates,” Minister Afgaab stated. “This process should not have continued until now. It began in 2018, and the fact that it is still ongoing shows that things have not progressed as they should have.”
He further warned that vehicle owners who fail to comply with the directive risk being prohibited from operating their vehicles on Somaliland’s roads.
“Anyone still using the old plate will have it replaced, and every vehicle owner should understand that their vehicle will not be allowed to operate if it does not carry the new registration plate,” he added.
The announcement signals the government’s intention to enforce stricter compliance measures after years of gradual implementation. Authorities are urging vehicle owners across Somaliland to complete the plate replacement process before the end of July to avoid disruptions and possible penalties.
The vehicle plate modernization initiative was introduced to improve vehicle identification, strengthen road transport management, and enhance security and regulatory oversight throughout the country.