# Hargeisa Federal Road Scheme Moves to Design and Feasibility Stage

> The Somali Digest reports contracting of design studies for a 23 km first phase road and bridge scheme in Hargeisa, costed at about $20 million.

- 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: Infrastructure and Services
- Tags: roads, utilities, procurement
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/hargeisa-federal-road-design-feasibility

## Key points

- The Somali Digest reported the federal public works ministry has started contracting design and feasibility studies for a road and bridge scheme in Hargeisa.
- Minister Ayuub Ismaaciil Yuusuf said the first phase covers 23 km of a planned 45 km and includes a major bridge, at a cost of roughly $20 million from a World Bank-supported programme.
- No construction timetable, contractor names, or World Bank confirmation of funding were provided, and The Somali Digest noted design contracts are not construction contracts.

The federal ministry of public works has begun contracting design and feasibility studies for a road and bridge scheme in Hargeisa, The Somali Digest reported on 9 August 2026. The ministry has not published a contract award notice, and no consultant names or contract values have been made public.

Minister Ayuub Ismaaciil Yuusuf said the first phase covers 23 kilometres of road out of a planned 45 and includes a major bridge, which the ministry described as the technically demanding component of the first stage. The overall scheme carries an approximate cost of 20 million dollars, drawn from a World Bank-supported programme, according to The Somali Digest's report. No World Bank document confirming the funding or the programme name was cited.

The scheme sits inside the Nagaad project, a public works programme the ministry runs across Somalia with World Bank money and other international support. The minister said the department currently has some 89 kilometres of road under implementation across Jubaland, Southwest, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Puntland and Somaliland. The announcement covered the contracting of design and study work, not the start of building, and no construction timetable was given.

The Somali Digest noted that design contracts are not construction contracts and the road may never be built. It also observed that Somaliland, which has not accepted being described as part of Somalia since 1991, has previously blocked federal projects it regarded as political theatre. Hargeisa municipality controls every metre of ground the survey teams would need to walk.

The announcement came in the same week Puntland forces took two federally aligned compounds by force, and The Somali Digest placed the project in a wider political context: Villa Somalia's largest budget transfers go to amenable states, Puntland funds its own anti-Islamic State campaign, and the African Union mission faces funding shortfalls beyond December. The report did not provide evidence that survey teams have accessed the site or that the Somaliland government has agreed to the project.

## Questions

### What is the scope of the Hargeisa federal road project?

The first phase covers 23 kilometres of road out of a planned 45 kilometres and includes a major bridge, according to Minister Ayuub Ismaaciil Yuusuf as reported by The Somali Digest.

### Who is funding the Hargeisa road scheme?

The scheme is costed at roughly 20 million dollars drawn from a World Bank-supported programme, but no World Bank document confirming the funding was cited by The Somali Digest.

### Is the Hargeisa road under construction?

No. The ministry has contracted design and feasibility studies only. No construction timetable was announced.

## Sources

- [Hargeisa Gets a Federal Road While Mogadishu Loses Camps](https://thesomalidigest.com/hargeisa-gets-a-federal-road-while-mogadishu-loses-camps/) — The Somali Digest, 2026-08-09