Also, both look down on trades, manual labor and any hands on work (backbone of every countries).
Do Somalis know any businesses other than coffee shops and hotels?
- Thread starter EainA2
- Start date
Unfortunately, they're lazy, unambitious, and uninspiring people, like 10x more the African and Black standard. Of course their business ideas will reflect that. For example, you would be shocked at the amount of unemployed or underemployed Somalis who have degrees, including master's or STEM degrees, while their thick accented, Black, immigrant, foreign-educated counterparts are more successful than western born Somalis. They can't blame racism. Somalis are allergic to effort which explains the popularity of starting coffee shops and hotels.
Idilinaa
VIP
Are we seeing the same numbers? The price has come down substantially and it keeps going down
And it's cheaper than Kenya
This is not even true.
Do you guys even attempt to do even a smidget amount of research? before you come to these conclusions. They have storage capacity.
They have built larger-scale solar power plant, storage solar battery facilitates and solar farms. That are designed to power cities, towns , businesses , factories and industries. Not just homes or appliances.
Somalia Launches Tender for 10 MW Hybrid Solar-Plus-Storage Plant
Discover the innovative project in Somalia to develop a 10 MW hybrid solar-plus-storage plant, helping to drive the country's renewable energy goals.
solarquarter.com
Somalia: New solar energy plant crucial to combatting shortages
A solar energy project with a production capacity of 3.5MW was recently inaugurated in Somalia to meet Puntland's electricity needs.
www.esi-africa.com
Not only that a lot of them are hybrid systems that combine it wind energy and bio energy.
Also read your own graph more , its more about recommendation on how to use solar energy throughout the day or store Solar energy or combine it with other alternatives.
As it says
#Overproduction of solar power during the day can be utilized by improving batteries and grid storage capacity"
More info on how commercial businesses and manufacturing plants utilize solar power
Last edited:
Idilinaa
VIP
The cool-aid some of you drink about Somalis is genuinely mind-bending. I swear some of you think repeating delusions will somehow make them reality.
First of all, coffee shops and hotels are two of the most common types of small-to-medium businesses globally from America to Europe to Asia. Are Americans "lazy" because they have Starbucks on every block? Are Italians "unambitious" because of their endless cafés? No, it’s called meeting consumer demand , something any basic economics course would teach you.
Second, hotels are demand-driven businesses. No one opens a hotel if there aren't guests. Somalia's growing hotels reflect the recovery of urban centers, increased travel, and commerce , something you somehow twist into a negative because you don't understand basic business models.
Third, the reason you only see coffee shops and hotels on social media is because those are consumer-facing businesses. No one is going to make viral TikToks showing their engineering firms, tech startups, construction companies, medical practices, law offices, or logistics businesses that Somalis run because their target market is not TikTok audiences.
If you actually cared to dig deeper instead of projecting stereotypes, you'd know Somalis are massively active in sectors like:
- Telecommunications (Hormuud, Golis Telecom Somalia, Somtel, NationLink Telecom, SomLink,Telesom, Amtel Somalia, Durdur Telecom, SomNet Telecom,)
- Banking & Fintech (Agro Africa Bank, Amal Bank, Amana Bank, Dahabshiil Bank International, Daryeel Bank Ltd, Galaxy International Bank, International Bank of Somalia (IBS), Mybank Limited, Premier Bank, Salaam Somali Bank, SomBank Ltd:DEEQTOON, EVC Plus, Zaad, Jeeb, E-Dahab, , SAHAL, MyCash, E-basa.etc and this with (SPS))
- Real Estate & Construction ( (ACC), (DEEQA), IAG International L.L.C, SECCO Ltd, Docol Group, Horyaal Group, Afrah Construction Company Limited, TTN Construction Company, Mubarak Group of Companies,, Jubba Cement)
- Manufacturing, Energy, Agriculture, Logistics (check my post history for examples)
Somali youth who earn STEM degrees often don't have the same direct institutional networks (corporate pipelines, internships, nepotism) that other groups might have. It's not because of laziness, it's because immigrants and displaced communities historically face structural barriers , no matter how qualified they are.
Second, Somalis are highly entrepreneurial, so many STEM graduates actually start their own companies, work freelance, or go into independent consulting, rather than traditional 9-5 employment models. You won't always see that captured in simple "employment statistics" that measure success only by western HR standards.
Somalia and the wider Somali diaspora are seeing a huge rise in tech, engineering, and finance entrepreneurship , just because it doesn’t make BBC headlines doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
Somalia’s Tech Boom Amid Challenges - Somali Magazine
Somali Magazine - In the heart of Somalia, a tech boom is underway. Despite the ongoing challenges of political instability and economic hardship, Somali entrepreneurs are harnessing the power of technology to drive economic growth and social change. Tech start-ups are sprouting across the...
somalimagazine.so
If Somalis were "lazy and unambitious," you wouldn't have rebuilt entire telecommunications, banking, agriculture and construction industries from scratch after civil war destruction , without foreign aid or government support , something 99% of other nations would have collapsed under.
Last edited:
That's why the gulf Arabs have American and European engineers and other foreigners working for them in their industries. With all that oil money they could have produced their own engineers and scientists as well as industries. They even need US military protection despite spending tens of billions of dollars purchasing high tech American and other western military tech. Iranian who have been under heavy sanctions for close to 50 years produces it own technology and have great engineers and scientists who can reverse engineer technologies. Gulf Arabs are just useless people who won the lottery with oil. Had it not been for oil they'd been as poor as Yemen.
Are we actually comparing Kenyas energy infrastructure to Beco and company? The price reduction isnt the important part its the scale. If I sell 10 kilos of rice in Baydhabo for 3 cents each can I say rice is only 3 cents compared to Philadelphias dollar and thus more food secure?
Somalia has a similar solar capacity to Garissa (atleast as of 23) but a population of 15 million. This is the electrified free market paradise where people in Baadiyo have better access to affordable and reliable electricity then people in Nairobi a city with 97% access to electricity and an average price of ~22 cents all around?!
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content.
Log in or register now.
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content.
Log in or register now.
Heres a site to calculate your cost of electricity in Kenya per KWH over time.
These are articles and videos explaining the cost increase and decreases in Kenyas electricity. The second link is how you can understand the hidden costs and tariffs within it.
Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes? | #Unpacked: Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes and boasting one of the highest shares of..
#Unpacked: Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes and boasting one of the highest shares of...
www.facebook.com
Understanding Your Bill: Cost of Electricity in Kenya - REIGAI ENGINEERS
Reading Time 3mins 25sec Our world thrives on electrical power, understanding the intricate tariffs that determine the final cost of power billed to the customer is essential. The cost of power is dynamic and changes rapidly depending on various factors. Some of the major factors that influence...
reigaisolut.co.ke
You realize this is a 10MW solar plant right? The energy storage is even less. Kenya has blackouts because its electricity is producing 20Billion+ in industry alone and another 50 in services whilst serving 10s of millions. Our access to electricity doesnt matter because it isnt abundant, available, reliable on a large scale, or productive.This is not even true.
Do you guys even attempt to do even a smidget amount of research? before you come to these conclusions. They have storage capacity.
They have built larger-scale solar power plant, storage solar battery facilitates and solar farms. That are designed to power cities, towns , businesses , factories and industries. Not just homes or appliances.
Somalia Launches Tender for 10 MW Hybrid Solar-Plus-Storage Plant
Discover the innovative project in Somalia to develop a 10 MW hybrid solar-plus-storage plant, helping to drive the country's renewable energy goals.
Somalia: New solar energy plant crucial to combatting shortages
A solar energy project with a production capacity of 3.5MW was recently inaugurated in Somalia to meet Puntland's electricity needs.
Not only that a lot of them are hybrid systems that combine it wind energy and bio energy.
Also read your own graph more , its more about recommendation on how to use solar energy throughout the day or store Solar energy or combine it with other alternatives.
As it says
#Overproduction of solar power during the day can be utilized by improving batteries and grid storage capacity"
More info on how commercial businesses and manufacturing plants utilize solar power
View attachment 359084
View attachment 359083
100% of Somalias ‘affordable energy’ is renewables that are significantly less reliable then hydro and geothermal which is what kenya relies on. Meaning if they expand their grid with just Solar and wind the ~2-3 GW of reliable energy will be more then enough to stabilize their grid. Will we be relying on Lithium-ion batteries as a replacement? These are clearly aid projects meant to keep us above water not infrastructure to build a complex economy.
The truth seeker
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Wallahi facts I’m not joking all the architects that Design those skyscrapers in Dubai and Saudi are American all the financial consultants and investors are from New York etc
This clown MBS thought you could design a linear city in the desert and it would somehow be the new silicon valley even though his citizens have zero skilles
Architect Adrian Smith - MGS Architecture
World's foremost expert of supertall towers, Architect Adrian Smith, grew up in California, building sandcastles as he wanted to see how high he could make them. Today, this American architect has
Saudi prince has a $500 billion plan for a floating Silicon Valley in the desert
Neom would be as big as the country of Belgium, and would be staffed largely by robots.
The truth seeker
Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Somalia if it ever gets rich will either get dutch disease like Nigeria or we’ll be a fake boom bust economy dependent on real estate ,finances and cheap foreign labour like Canada /UK
Idilinaa
VIP
Nobody claimed Somalia's current grid is larger than Kenya’s. You are confusing national energy scale with local access and efficiency.
What was being argued is affordable, scalable, decentralized energy growth. Somalia’s private sector is solving access and affordability faster WITHOUT heavy government infrastructure.
Kenya has had a national grid for decades with massive foreign loans, yet still suffers blackouts and high costs.
Also like i showed, Private Somali companies are laying the foundation now for larger industrial grids without debt slavery.
Both price and scale matter. Lower prices allow greater accessibility , something Somalia has prioritized.
Scaling up is already happening through projects like BECO’s 8MW solar plant, the 10MW hybrid project, and multiple hybrid mini-grids in Puntland and Somaliland. Scaling doesn't happen overnight, but Somalia is laying a sustainable foundation for growth.
If I sell 10 kilos of rice in Baydhabo for 3 cents each can I say rice is only 3 cents compared to Philadelphias dollar and thus more food secure?
Somalia has a similar solar capacity to Garissa (atleast as of 23) but a population of 15 million. This is the electrified free market paradise where people in Baadiyo have better access to affordable
and reliable electricity then people
in Nairobi a city with 97% access to electricity and an average price of ~22 cents all around?!
You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.
Heres a site to calculate your cost of electricity in Kenya per KWH over time.
These are articles and videos explaining the cost increase and decreases in Kenyas electricity. The second link is how you can understand the hidden costs and tariffs within it.
Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes? | #Unpacked: Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes and boasting one of the highest shares of..
#Unpacked: Why is the cost of electricity so expensive despite Kenya producing more power than it consumes and boasting one of the highest shares of...Understanding Your Bill: Cost of Electricity in Kenya - REIGAI ENGINEERS
Reading Time 3mins 25sec Our world thrives on electrical power, understanding the intricate tariffs that determine the final cost of power billed to the customer is essential. The cost of power is dynamic and changes rapidly depending on various factors. Some of the major factors that influence...
Garissa solar plant (Kenya) serves one specific region. Somalia’s solar rollout is decentralized , with hundreds of private operators spreading access across towns and rural areas.
Comparing a centralized plant to a network of distributed grids is apples and oranges. Somalia’s decentralized system is exactly why even remote areas have affordable electricity now.
They are building many multiple 3MW, 5MW, 10MW, , 14MW, 20MW projects spread across the place, , creating a distributed grid model
You single out one specific project when there is multiple ones
Better 10MW×50 decentralized than 500MW centralized prone to collapse.
What proof do you have they are less reliable? They have new battery tech, hybrid systems, and modular expansion make it scalable and future-proof.
Hybrid solar projects are increasingly paired with storage batteries and backup diesel or biomass, ensuring 24/7 coverage
Somalia’s hybrid renewable systems are modular, combining solar, wind, storage, and backup.
As battery technology improves and costs fall, Somalia’s grid will actually become MORE reliable than old hydro.
Also, Kenya’s hydro is unreliable too it fails during droughts (like in 2019 and 2022).
Drought affects hydroelectricity generation in Kenya
Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter says Kenya will soon have to reduce its dependency on hydroelectricity generation because of low water levels.
www.esi-africa.com
Also Somalia has a smaller population than kenya 18 million vs 55 million. Somalia does not need a massive 3-5 GW centralized system. Decentralized micro-grids fit Somalia’s needs better for now and can scale as demand grows
Somalia’s decentralized model is building toward productivity , small factories, cold chains, internet expansion, etc.
It’s not "only survival"; it's building a sustainable base like other early-stage industrial economies.
Hydropower globally is being questioned because of climate change variability , even rich countries are diversifying because of the drought risk.
Decentralized energy is also the future globally, not just for Somalia (even the EU and USA are promoting microgrids now).
Beyond the Grid: The Case for Decentralized Energy Systems - EIS
Discover how decentralized energy systems enhance resilience and energy security, drive sustainability, and empower local communities.
eiscouncil.org
Technologically speaking , Somalia is leapfrogging to flexible energy in many ways adapting to the future.
Most Somali renewable energy investments are private-sector funded, not aid-based. Some projects are donor-supported initially (like everywhere!)
Companies like BECO, SomPower, BlueSky, NESCOM and others charge customers directly , not funded by NGOs.
You know what's ironic about this aid claim, is that you don't realize that Kenya’s energy sector has been heavily funded by foreign loans (Chinese loans, World Bank, AfDB).
Not only does various foreign corparations own large shares in Kenya's energy sector, but it owes debt, large amounts of debt to foreign Energy firms
This is why energy company in Kenya rather than reducing or cutting cost hike up prices
Kenya Power Warns of 30% Increase in Electricity Prices Amid Mounting Wayleave Charges and Debt Crisis - Serrari Group
Kenya Power warns a 30% tariff rise if county wayleave charges apply, risking higher costs for industries and consumers
serrarigroup.com
So criticizing Somalia for accepting small private-public funding partnerships is hypocritical, especially when most of the money/funding actually comes from diverse group of local private companies that invest in eachother and the country's infrastructure.
More on the extensive self-investment in energy sector
Private Sector Power Players: Somalia’s Energy Sector is Ready for Investment
Learn why the future is bright for investment in Somalia’s energy sector and how USAID and the Power Africa East Africa Energy Program are making it possible. Read more.
www.rti.org
More or less what i said already: It actually shows how innovative Somalis are.
Last edited:
Idilinaa
VIP
Yeah, Somalis clearly "look down" on trades and manual work , that's why trade schools across Somalia are exploding with enrollments, why local youths are flocking to technical training, and why the construction industry is one of the biggest economic drivers in the country.
Somali graduates turn to technical skills to get jobs
(ERGO) - It was only after Somali university graduate Mohamed Kafi Ali took a hands-on technical skills course that he
radioergo.org
You even have diaspora "Hooyo Mataalos" going back to Somalia and enrolling in technical schools, not to sip lattes at coffee shops but to actually pick up honest skills and get to work.
I have also shown in a separate thread how 90%+ of manual laborers in Somalia’s construction firms are locals, not foreigners.
They are not mostly madow weyne which i assume is some weird racist code word Somali bantus.
Somali construction workers in Mogadishu
Strengthening vocational education and training in Somalia
The project focuses on improving the public vocational education and training system in terms of its governance, quality and access.www.giz.de
Somali construction workers in Garowe/Puntland
You can literally see this for yourself, and visit various construction company websites where they show videos and galleries of their laborers and team in action.
Gallery - Albashid Constructions
albashid.com
Buruuj Construction and Real Estate – Buruuj Construction and Real Estate
Buruuj Construction and Real Estateburuuj.so
Manual labour, trade jobs and construction work is so popular that not only are there many local owned companies popping up supplying people job opportunities but also the construction industry is driving economic growth
Construction Sector Driving Somalia’s Economic Recovery - AMISOM
Mogadishu, April 21, 2016 - A group of young men crush boulders with sledgehammers under the sweltering mid-morning sun in Wadajiir district. Not far
Although investments are mostly driven by local capital formation and diaspora investment(Not Foreign Investment, Loans or state funding) much of it is concentrated in the construction and urban infrastructure sectors
The idea that Somalis are hate manual labour or trade jobs is completely baseless.
Last edited:
Idilinaa
VIP
Also not true. Somalia's economy doesn't even function like Nigeria's or Gulf Arab countries, Canada or UK, it has never been dependent on a single industry. It's has already a diverse economic base: Agriculture, Fishing, Telecommunications, Banking & Fintech, Construction , Logistics & Trade, Manufacturing
Unlike Nigeria, Somalia does not rely on one resource like oil. It has many active sectors already!
In Somalia, businesses are Somali-owned, not multinational corporations. Somalis reinvest profits locally, they don’t offshore their money to foreign banks like Gulf states do.
Private entrepreneurship is deeply embedded in Somali culture, traders, small businesses, transport, farming, livestock, tech startups, etc.
Diaspora-driven investment (remittances, business partnerships) boosts every sector.
This makes Somalia resilient and highly self-reliant compared to places like Nigeria or Canada.
Oil Revenue Would Be Used to Accelerate Local Diversification, Not Trap the Economy:
If oil revenues are managed properly, they can:
- - Build infrastructure (roads, airports, ports, electricity).
- -Expand industries (agriculture, fishing, manufacturing).
- -Fund education, healthcare, and technology hubs.
Basically, Oil would be a booster, not a dependency. Because Somalia already functions without oil, adding oil revenues will supercharge what's already happening, not replace it.
To sum it up. Somalia already has a highly diversified, locally owned economy. Oil revenues would be a bonus for an economy that is already growing across multiple sectors: livestock, fishing, fintech, trade, construction, manufacturing. Somalia is self-reliant and entrepreneurial, and profits are reinvested into Somalia itself, not funneled abroad.
Unlike Nigeria (oil dependency) or the Gulf (foreign labor), Somalia is a competitive, internally-driven economy with one of the most decentralized and resilient private sectors in Africa.
Taintedlove
Shaqo la'an ba kuu heysaata
This thread is so annoying. Let Somalis have their little niche
People who have not gone back home, barely participate in Somali society, and can't even speak Somali stating that we don't value manual labour and trades this is so embarrassing. Maybe your regions don't value it but I see so many regions that value these jobs. Who else was building up our cities when it got bombed? When they destroyed our homes? Well it was Somalis rebuilding the roads, the houses, the schools etc. If you guys even stayed back home longer tha 4 months you would clearly see. I lived there 2 years and I saw how hard they worked. I also saw how rich people loved to exploit cheap slave labour and undercut funding to projects. This is the same case in Canada. People want to work and are working but they are getting replaced by people who are willing to do less than their rate. How can a miskeen Aabo feed his family if the laborious job he does pays pennies and destroys his health at the same time?
Taintedlove
Shaqo la'an ba kuu heysaata
Don't bother. A lot of the self hating diasporas won't care. They love shitting on somalia
Idilinaa
VIP
There is no niche, hotels and coffee shops are common business everyone globally engages in. It is driven by a demand.
and it's not the sole business Somali engages in and i shown plenty examples throughout the thread.
Taintedlove
Shaqo la'an ba kuu heysaata
Yeah but it's clear this a market somalis have specialised in to cater to demands of Somalis
Idilinaa
VIP
No. It's not even a niche or market specialty. It caters to demand of consumers. People like/want coffee they go visit a coffee shop. People travel or visit places they need accommodation they go to a hotel.
These demands exist globally especially in areas where there is increase in commerce , travel and disposable income.
Just like there is growing demand for energy which i have discussed in this thread and people set up mini grids, plants and companies to supply it. Same thing across every market basically. Demand and supply.
Last edited:
No, Somalia does not boast greater accessibility or affordability.
That apples to oranges is what im talking about.
Lithium batteries lose 2-3% of their capacity every year even when unused.
There is a reason the world is desperately trying to innovate grid energy storage solutions for renewables. Nothing about Lithium-ion is new or reliable. They are consistently in need of replacement.
Microgrids are useful for residential use. That is the demand they are filling but thats not whats being discussed.Also, Kenya’s hydro is unreliable too it fails during droughts (like in 2019 and 2022).
Drought affects hydroelectricity generation in Kenya
Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter says Kenya will soon have to reduce its dependency on hydroelectricity generation because of low water levels.
Also Somalia has a smaller population than kenya 18 million vs 55 million. Somalia does not need a massive 3-5 GW centralized system. Decentralized micro-grids fit Somalia’s needs better for now and can scale as demand grows
Somalia’s decentralized model is building toward productivity , small factories, cold chains, internet expansion, etc.
It’s not "only survival"; it's building a sustainable base like other early-stage industrial economies.
Hydropower globally is being questioned because of climate change variability , even rich countries are diversifying because of the drought risk.
Decentralized energy is also the future globally, not just for Somalia (even the EU and USA are promoting microgrids now).
Beyond the Grid: The Case for Decentralized Energy Systems - EIS
Discover how decentralized energy systems enhance resilience and energy security, drive sustainability, and empower local communities.
Technologically speaking , Somalia is leapfrogging to flexible energy in many ways adapting to the future.
Hydro/Geothermal are reliable Kenya just has poor planning. They have those problems because they used that foundation of hydro/geothermal as the sole generator for years so when consumption grew and a drought came they had issues.
DEBT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOOD!!!Most Somali renewable energy investments are private-sector funded, not aid-based. Some projects are donor-supported initially (like everywhere!)
Companies like BECO, SomPower, BlueSky, NESCOM and others charge customers directly , not funded by NGOs.
View attachment 359091
You know what's ironic about this aid claim, is that you don't realize that Kenya’s energy sector has been heavily funded by foreign loans (Chinese loans, World Bank, AfDB).
Not only does various foreign corparations own large shares in Kenya's energy sector, but it owes debt, large amounts of debt to foreign Energy firms
This is why energy company in Kenya rather than reducing or cutting cost hike up prices
Kenya Power Warns of 30% Increase in Electricity Prices Amid Mounting Wayleave Charges and Debt Crisis - Serrari Group
Kenya Power warns a 30% tariff rise if county wayleave charges apply, risking higher costs for industries and consumers
DEBT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IS GOOD!!!
PLEASE GIVE ME DEBT!!!
Not a critique its just not relevant. The context of this conversation is why Somalis dont diversify their businesses into other sectors.So criticizing Somalia for accepting small private-public funding partnerships is hypocritical, especially when most of the money/funding actually comes from diverse group of local private companies that invest in eachother and the country's infrastructure.
More on the extensive self-investment in energy sector
Private Sector Power Players: Somalia’s Energy Sector is Ready for Investment
Learn why the future is bright for investment in Somalia’s energy sector and how USAID and the Power Africa East Africa Energy Program are making it possible. Read more.
More or less what i said already: It actually shows how innovative Somalis are.
The point is no government, no energy, no industry. Somalia has lower access, affordability overall, and installed capacity. We are the opposite of Ethiopias problem of a dead private sector we have a dead public sector.
You in a roundabout way agreed that we do not produce nearly enough and you probably are aware we cant increase fast enough through quasi anarcho-capitalism. I don’t know whats even being argued at this point. Is it for privatized utilities? Is it for decentralized mini-solar farms? Is it to praise Somalia? Is it for lithium-ion batteries as storage?
Idilinaa
VIP
Somalia’s private-led mini-grids and mobile money payment models are expanding energy access faster in rural and urban areas compared to Kenya’s centralized, debt-heavy system. Affordability is higher because Somalis pay for what they consume, without relying on government subsidies or large loans.
World Bank and UN reports on Somalia’s energy access show this decentralized model working, despite no national grid. 80% of urban areas have access to electricity as well as per 2023
It will probably be even higher now in 2025. In 2020 it was only 40%, showing how rapidly the coverage is spreading.
You comparing one giant central grid to many local mini grids spread out.
Let me put it to you this way.
A centralized plant is like building one giant restaurant to feed 10 million people , if it fails, everyone starves.
A decentralized network is like 10,000 small restaurants spread out , even if a few fail, people still eat.
You're right that lithium batteries degrade over time , but you're missing the larger point.
Modern hybrid energy systems plan for battery replacement every 7–10 years, just like maintenance for any other infrastructure (like turbines, engines, etc.).
Plus
- Battery tech is rapidly improving solid-state, sodium-ion, and flow batteries are coming.
- Somalia's modular, distributed system means even if one battery site fails, others continue operating.
-It's easier and cheaper to replace small-scale storage units than repair massive dams or centralized grids.
- Over time, battery costs are falling dramatically (by 80%+ since 2010), making future upgrades cheaper and more reliable.
Basically, Lithium degradation is a manageable issue, not a deal-breaker. Distributed, renewable hybrid systems are already more resilient than centralized hydro grids, especially for a growing, flexible economy like Somalia’s
Microgrids are not only for residential use anymore. Even today, decentralized systems power industries, farms, data centers, and cold storage facilities globally.
Somalia’s approach is matching its scale and demand: small factories, agribusinesses, ICT hubs, and local manufacturing. This is actually a better model for Somalia's stage of development , modular, scalable, and resilient.
Also, regarding Kenya , poor planning is part of the problem, but over-reliance on centralized hydro in a changing climate is the deeper issue. Globally, countries are diversifying precisely because centralized systems are brittle to shocks like droughts or floods.
Somalia is wisely building resilience into its foundation early on, rather than repeating outdated centralized models that even developed countries are now moving away from
Debt can be useful but only if it generates more productive economic value than the debt burden itself. If you borrow to build assets you control and profit from, that's smart.
If you borrow heavily, lose control of your infrastructure, and hike prices on your own citizens to repay foreigners , that's not smart economics, that's dependency.
The discussion was about private-sector investment driving Somalia’s infrastructure growth proof that Somalis are diversifying (energy, telecom, finance, construction, manufacturing etc.).
The private sector drives every industry in Somalia and supplies it energy demands with or without public sector. Somalia now enjoys wide rapid access.
Decentralized models are increasing access where government capacity is weak.
You can see this described in one of the article i quoted/linked to you :
"Businesses began establishing their own power generation facilities, some of which expanded into slightly larger “mini-grids” that also supplied their surrounding communities with electricity. As those mini-grids became more reliable than government-owned power plants, regional governments sold or handed over their power plants to the private sector. "
The extensive self-investment, paired with a decentralized distribution model, has enabled Somalia’s ESPs to bring energy access to millions of households over a short period.
The argument isn’t anarcho-capitalism vs. public sector, but recognizing innovation in spite of challenges.
Ethiopia’s over-centralization stifles private growth, Somalia’s issue is scaling existing private success with better public collaboration.
Electricity companies in Somalia work with the Public Sector. Also if you look at the water companies i listed most of them are Public -Private Partnerships or PPP. So Public sector is increasingly working to leverage the success of the private sector.
Kenya in the last 25 years went from 5% access to 75%. They will likely achieve 100% by 2030 and have aims to take out loans to get to 100GW by 2040.
Somalia in the same span went from 5% to 49% and that is almost exclusively basic access like lightbulbs and smartphone charging in major cities. We will still have no government by 2040 and we will probably still have no significant manufacturing even with AGI.
If I am wrong I will be happy maybe BECO will give us Nuclear Fusion by way of Somali innovation free of debt
Somalia in the same span went from 5% to 49% and that is almost exclusively basic access like lightbulbs and smartphone charging in major cities. We will still have no government by 2040 and we will probably still have no significant manufacturing even with AGI.
If I am wrong I will be happy maybe BECO will give us Nuclear Fusion by way of Somali innovation free of debt
