Somalia rolls out civil service pay structure under public sector reform

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Thursday announced the start of a new salary and grading policy for civil servants, a move the federal government says is part of efforts to modernise the public sector.

Speaking at a launch event in Mogadishu, Barre said the framework would replace what he described as an outdated system, and is expected to address issues of fairness, performance, and professionalism in public employment.

The new system introduces a points-based evaluation method, assigning civil servants a score out of 1,000 based on four factors: knowledge and experience, responsibility, effort, and working conditions. Job classifications are divided into eight grades, from A to G.

Government officials say the policy is intended to reduce favouritism and link pay more closely to job function and performance. The Prime Minister described it as “a significant step” and said it aligned with the National Reform Plan.

“We want all government employees to serve with integrity, under equal terms,” he said.

It remains to be seen how effectively the new policy will be enforced across federal and regional administrations, and whether it will lead to measurable improvements in service delivery.