Somali National University Launches Somalia's First AI Research Centre

Somali National University launched the Somali National Artificial Intelligence Centre (SNAIC) in Mogadishu on 15 July 2026, establishing what organisers describe as Somalia's first dedicated institution for AI research and development.

The launch was reported across multiple independent Somali and regional outlets, including allAfrica, Ecofin Agency, Radio Dalsan, Dawan Africa, TechAfrica News, and Shabelle Media Network, underscoring the significance placed on the centre within Somalia's higher-education and technology sectors.

SNAIC is intended to serve as a hub for AI research, training, and applied projects based at Somalia's oldest and largest public university. Its establishment follows years of more informal AI activity in Mogadishu's university and startup ecosystem, and comes as the government has separately pushed forward policy-focused efforts such as the AI Summit Somalia series.

The centre's launch adds a research dimension to Somalia's 2026 AI activity, complementing the policy-focused AI Summit Somalia and the skills-focused Bile Initiative, both of which also took place in Mogadishu this year.