Private Security Companies in Africa Have Been a Part of the National Scene Since the 1970s.

Private security forces have been in use for many, many years. 

The British hired German soldiers during the American Revolution; the Pinkerton Detective agency was used in order to provide security for trains through hostile territory and later on as strike breakers.

Now private security companies are contracted by various different countries that do not have sufficient military forces to adequately protect the people or would like to have advisors on the latest techniques and weapons.

War has actually turned into big business. There are many war-torn nations that are using private security companies in Africa.

Blackwater may soon be providing security against pirate attacks to merchant vessels off the Somalia coast.

Private security companies are expected to be far reaching especially in sub-Saharan Africa; no reliable stats exist on just how many private companies are being used throughout the entire continent.

Private security forces are often associated with weak and/ or war-prone nations that are often engaged in conflict.

Africa in particular is called home by many countries which find themselves in need of the services which companies like Blackwater and Aegis are able to provide.

One study showed that as many as fifteen different companies operated in areas of conflict in Africa from 1950- 1989; that number jumped to sixty five from 1990-1998.

Those numbers do not include the many domestic companies in operation; I South Africa alone there are 280 different private security companies, far out numbering the total number of police officers.

The growing presence of private security companies in Africa is a sign of the continual weak state of governments that are not capable of providing security to the people. 

Accountability of Private Security Contractors

The Trouble with Private Security Forces

The private security companies in Africa will eventually succeed in making the weak countries that hire them weaker.

The false sense of security created by the companies will lead to a distorted view of actual security needs.

They will also lead to a skewed version of security deployments amongst the population.

Buying security will only make it harder for proper state run institutions to grow, become established, and prosper.

To Embrace or not to Embrace

Getting too enamored with the ready availability of private security companies in Africa may only lead to more problems than the country really wants.

Or if the country full y embraces the concept and works to regulate it than perhaps regardless of the number of private companies in operation the power will still remain with the central government.

Currently, South Africa stands as an excellent model of the legislation and regulatory practices needed in order to control private security forces.