Project ID: P-SO-KF0-015 Grant No: 5900155018607
Assignment Title: Local Customs Adviser
Reference: REOI/003/2026
Place of Assignment: Hargeisa, Somaliland
Deadline: 10th April, 2026
The Government of the Republic of Somaliland has received financing from the African Development
Bank toward the cost of the Institutional Support for Economic Governance Project (ISEGP), and
intends to apply part of the agreed amount for this grant to payments under the contract for Local
Customs Adviser.
The services included under this project are to hire Local Technical Assistance for the Customs of
Somaliland. The Government of Somaliland, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic
Development (MoFED), is implementing a comprehensive Customs Administration Reform and
Modernization Programme aligned with the World Customs Organization (WCO) Capacity Building
Framework, the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), and international best practices.
An AfDB-supported diagnostic assessment identified significant institutional, legal, operational,
technological, and human capacity gaps within Somaliland Customs. Although the Customs Act (Law
No. 73/2016) broadly aligns with international standards, it is only partially implemented and requires
amendment, operationalization, and harmonization with WCO and WTO instruments.
To support implementation of the reform roadmap and strengthen national ownership and sustainability,
MoFED seeks to recruit a Local Customs Advisor to provide technical assistance, legal drafting support,
and capacity building to the Customs Department. The overall objective of the assignment is to
strengthen the institutional, legal, and operational capacity of Somaliland Customs through targeted
technical assistance, with a focus on customs law reform, risk management, trade facilitation, and digital
modernization.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Development now invites interested candidates (Individual
Consultants) to apply and indicate interest in providing these services. Interested Individual Consultants
must provide information indicating that he/she is qualified and has relevant experience to perform the
services (detailed CVs, academic and professional qualifications, relevant copies of academic degrees
and other certificates, description of experience in similar assignments, etc.).
1. Education:
The Consultant shall meet the following minimum qualifications:
i. Advanced university degree in customs administration, economics, public finance, with background
on law.
2. Experience:
i. At least five (5) years of demonstrated professional experience in customs management, customs
management system, HS Code and customs administration reform.
ii. Proven experience working with the Somaliland Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), particularly within the Customs Department, is mandatory.
iii.Demonstrated experience in:
o Customs law review and drafting
o Implementation of WCO instruments and WTO agreements
o Customs reform and modernization programmes
• Strong knowledge of Somaliland customs systems, procedures, and institutional context.
• Ability to draft and translate legal and technical documents into Somali with high accuracy.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and reporting skills.
• Proficiency in English and Somali.
Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s “Procurement Policy for Bank Group Funded Operations” dated October 2015, which is available on the Bank’s website at http://www.afdb.org.
The detailed terms of reference can be found on the following website: www.slmof.org
Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours 08:00 am to 2:30 pm, Saturday – Thursday.
Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below by 10th April 2026 at 2:30 pm and mention “Local Customs Advisor”.
Attn: ISEGP Project Procurement Ubah Hussein Ahmed
Email: procurement@somalilandpfm.org Tel: +252-63-4194081
CC: hassan@somalilandpfm.org Hargeisa, Somaliland
Somaliland, officially the Republic of Somaliland, is an unrecognized sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to th... Read More
