The private security sector in Africa

The document examines the rapid expansion of private security in Africa, distinguishing between private security companies (PSCs) and private military companies (PMCs). It identifies drivers of this growth, including the end of the Cold War, globalization, and state fragility, while highlighting the risks to human rights and state sovereignty. The author argues that the current lack of regulation makes the sector a potential threat, particularly in fragile states, and calls for comprehensive research to inform new regulatory frameworks.

• The private security sector is broadly divided into private security companies (PSCs), which provide defensive protection for personnel and property, and private military companies (PMCs), which offer offensive tactical military services and are more combat-oriented.
• The growth of the private security industry in Africa is driven by several factors, including general human insecurity, the end of the Cold War, globalization, the marketization of the public sphere, and the downsizing of armed forces.
• Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) imposed by Bretton Woods institutions contributed to the privatization of security by forcing African countries to reduce the size of the public sector.
• The private security sector facilitates the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Africa, while simultaneously being contracted for disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) and de-mining operations.
• The lack of effective regulatory mechanisms for the private security sector poses a threat to human rights, particularly for women and children in conflict zones, and can compromise state power and sovereignty in fragile states.
• The 1977 OAU Convention for the Prohibition of the Mercenary Activities in Africa is considered outdated and ineffective because it defines mercenaries as 'persons' rather than corporate entities, potentially absolving PMCs and PSCs from liability.
• The events of 9/11 fueled the growth of the private security sector globally and in Africa, as governments contracted firms for counter-terrorism operations and intelligence work.

APA

Gumedze, S. (2007). The private security sector in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/133pdf.pdf

Chicago

Gumedze, Sabelo. The private security sector in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2007. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/133pdf.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Gumedze |first1=Sabelo |title=The private security sector in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=February 2007 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/133pdf.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gumedze2007private, author = {Gumedze, Sabelo}, title = {{The private security sector in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2007}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/133pdf.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }