Abdullahi Shafi Mohamed is an emerging leader in international development and humanitarian work, with experience across Kenya, Niger, Somalia and beyond. A Chevening scholar and SOAS Development Studies graduate, he has worked with the United Nations in Somalia supporting government systems and community delivery in one of the world’s most complex operating environments.

In this episode, Abdullahi takes us through Somalia’s collapse after 1991, the shifting conflicts and political realities that followed, and how decades of state absence shaped both governance and society. He reflects on returning to Somalia as part of the diaspora, navigating weak institutions, security constraints, and a system that often rewards loyalty over competence rather than merit. The conversation explores corruption not simply as stolen money, but as the deeper problem of the wrong people occupying positions of responsibility.We also discuss a striking contrast within Somalia today.

While public institutions struggle to deliver services, the private sector in areas such as banking, telecommunications, and utilities has shown remarkable resilience and efficiency. Abdullahi explains what this means for rebuilding a functioning state and why strong institutions remain essential for long-term stability.

The episode also turns to Abdullahi’s personal journey growing up in the Dadaab refugee camp, the changing reality facing refugees today as global support declines, and the psychological experience of living between countries without fully belonging. He shares the motivation behind Telepath, a new initiative designed as a community hub connecting diaspora returnees and young people with mentorship, opportunity, and pathways to contribute to Somalia’s future.

Abdullahi is also a close friend who we met during our Master’s studies, where both this podcast and our work connected to Dadaab refugee camp first began. Recording this conversation two years later is a powerful moment, bringing the story full circle from where it started to where the journey has now taken us.

Topics include Somalia’s state collapse, diaspora return, UN work on the ground, corruption and governance, private sector success, refugee camp life, rebuilding government capacity, and the Talepath initiative.Chapters:00:00 “1991: Somalia Collapsed Overnight” (Civil War & State Breakdown)03:30 From Refugee to Rebuilder: Why I Went Back to Somalia05:17 “I Knew I Wasn’t Welcome” — Migrants in the UK06:38 Working in Somalia Is HARD: Weak State, Security Barriers10:05 Why NGOs Replaced the Government (And the Damage It Causes)15:00 Somalia’s REAL Corruption: The Wrong People in Power22:14 Private Sector vs Government: Why Businesses Work (But the State Fails)31:06 What Gives Hope? Somalia CAN Rebuild — But Not Without Government34:06 Democracy vs Authority in Africa: “We Need Discipline to Function”40:42 Growing Up in Dadaab: The World’s Biggest Refugee Camp44:43 Resettlement Is Ending — Is Somalia the Only Solution Left?50:50 Kenya Never Felt Safe: Deportations, Police, Living on Edge57:26 Talopath: The Plan to Connect Diaspora & Rebuild Somalia1:04:10 Full-Circle Moment: Dadaab Project, Jersey Signed, Final Message