Somalia get its first ATM ever! Its installed in a Mogadishu hotel

Somalia has gotten its first ATM ever! The cash machine has been installed at a hotel in Mogadishu by Salaam Somali Bank and it only allows customers to withdraw US dollars.

Somalis queuing to withdraw money from at ATM. Its the first cash machine in Mogadishu and Somalia . Photo: BBC

Some analysts have said that the installation of this ATM machine in Somalia is a sign that the country is heading in the right direction. Many Modadishu residents are confused because they have never seen or used an ATM before.

Somalia’s banking sector has been brought down to its knees by years of armed conflict. The Somali Shilling is almost worthless and many local business people prefer to use the more stable American dollar

The Salaam Somali Bank is the first international bank in the country. It has three branches countrywide and also provides online banking services for its customers. Users of the new ATM can withdraw cash from any their international bank accounts, Visa, MasterCard and American Express ATM cards