First President of the Somali Republic upon independence. Africa’s first post-independence leader to transfer power peacefully through democratic elections. Mogadishu International Airport bears his name.
2nd President
Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
1967 – 1969
Born Jun 8, 1919 — Assassinated Oct 15, 1969
Diplomat and nationalist who served as Somalia’s first Prime Minister before the presidency. A Sapienza University graduate focused on economic development before his tragic assassination.
3rd President
Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre
1969 – 1991
Born Oct 6, 1910 — Died Jan 2, 1995
Led the 1969 coup and declared Somalia a socialist state. Pioneered literacy and infrastructure campaigns, but his later rule was marked by repression and eventual governance collapse.
4th President
Ali Mahdi Mohamed
1991 – 1997
Born Jan 1, 1939 — Died Mar 10, 2021
Named president after the fall of Barre. Led early peace initiatives amid factional conflict, calling for national reconciliation. Honoured with a state funeral in Nairobi.
5th President
Abdiqasim Salad Hassan
2000 – 2004
Born Jan 1, 1941
Elected at the 2000 Arta Peace Conference in Djibouti. Led the Transitional National Government and was the first president to base his administration in Mogadishu since 1991.
6th President
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
2004 – 2008
Born Dec 15, 1934 — Died Mar 23, 2012
Founder of the Puntland State and first president of the Transitional Federal Government. Re-established federal structures and relocated the government from exile back to Somalia.
7th President
Sharif Sheikh Ahmed
2009 – 2012
Born Jul 25, 1964
Emerged from civil society leadership. Oversaw adoption of the 2012 Provisional Constitution, strengthened AMISOM ties, and laid the groundwork for Somalia’s permanent federal government.
8th PresidentCurrent
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
2012–2017 & 2022–Present
Born Nov 29, 1955
First Somali president elected to two non-consecutive terms. Academic, educator, and SIMAD University co-founder. Leading Operation Black Lion against terrorism and pursuing debt relief and WTO accession.
9th President
Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed
“Farmaajo”
2017 – 2022
Born Mar 11, 1962
Technocratic leader focused on accountability, fiscal reform, and military revitalization. Implemented electronic civil servant payments and transferred power peacefully in 2022.
