Information is power in Africa security context

Businesses investing in operations in Africa are wise to take security seriously, says George Bennet, senior consultant for Control Risks, an independent, global risk consultancy. “The activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria or the mall attack in Kenya last year are all worth taking note of. They must raise alarm bells for companies who are either already operating in these regions or those that are planning to.” Bennet maintains information and knowledge are the first and foremost security steps that any organisation can take. He advises business to gather as much information as possible about the security issues in the region in which they are operating. “In South Africa that is going to mean looking at aspects such as internal theft, while in Nigeria it’s politics. So in the latter it is useful for companies to understand the impact of elections and the ramifications of the different scenarios around who wins the election in Nigeria. For every country it is different and then within those countries there are also differences and nuances to keep up to date with.” Another important aspect is knowing and understanding local dynamics. “You need to not just be aware of but really understand the specific security concerns in a country or a region.” By way of example Bennet said security concerns at the Port of Lagos were very different from say a port in South Africa. “Understanding the operational environment and where the pinchpoints are helps to assess and understand risk."