# Ex-Minister Endorses Oil Terminal Re-nationalization

> On 19 August 2018, Somaliland Standard reported that a former minister endorsed President Bihi's decision to re-nationalize the Berbera oil terminal.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 30 September 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Business and Costs
- Tags: procurement, construction-risk
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/ex-minister-endorses-oil-terminal-re-nationalization

## Key points

- On 19 August 2018, Somaliland Standard reported that former Information Minister Osman Abdilahi Sahardid endorsed President Bihi's decision to re-nationalize the Berbera oil terminal.
- The report does not establish what has happened since that date regarding the re-nationalization process.
- No contracts, costs, contractors, or timelines for re-nationalization are specified in the report.

On 19 August 2018, Somaliland Standard reported that former Information Minister Osman Abdilahi Sahardid, known as "Adani," endorsed President Bihi's decision to re-nationalize the Berbera oil terminal.

The former minister made the remarks in a newspaper interview, according to the report. He said the objective behind the privatization of the oil terminal was to increase trade, but he further claimed that the firms that took over the terminal brought contaminated fuel to Somaliland when the country was at war.

Sahardid said that having the oil terminal under government control is part of national security and that there must be reserved fuel in case of fuel shortages. He also spoke about the state takeover of airport security, saying the private firm running it was performing smoothly and that there was no problem if the state assumed it.

The former minister called on the Public Accounts Committee to provide concrete evidence against ministers accused of graft under the Silanyo presidency.

The Somaliland Standard report does not establish what has happened since 19 August 2018 regarding the re-nationalization of the oil terminal. No contract award, tender, financing, contract value, project cost, appointed contractor, consultant, or timeline for the re-nationalization is stated. The date of President Bihi's decision, the name of the newspaper that conducted the interview, the identities of the firms that allegedly brought contaminated fuel, the airport and private firm involved in the security takeover, and any substantiation of the corruption allegations are not provided.

## Questions

### What does re-nationalization mean for existing contracts?

The Somaliland Standard report from 19 August 2018 does not specify any existing contracts, so the effect on contracts is not established.

### How will this affect port operations?

The report does not provide information on how re-nationalization would affect port operations.

### Who will manage the terminal now?

The report states that the government would control the terminal according to the former minister, but no management details or current status are given.

## Sources

- [Somaliland Standard](https://somalilandstandard.com/somaliland-ex-minister-endorses-president-bihis-verdict-to-re-nationalize-oil-terminal/) — Somaliland Standard, 2018-08-19