The Spearfish West Africa base is located in Nigeria and will serve both new and existing clients across the fast-growing regional security market. Spearfish West Africa opened in Abuja, Nigeria earlier this year as a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK parent Spearfish Security. The new facility will provide localised consultancy and support to clients, managing risks and threats to personnel and facilities.
The company specialises in supporting those facing security challenges in countries such as: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe and Togo.
Spearfish's corporate client base includes companies in the finance, hospitality and manufacturing sectors
Delivering security and risk managers
Dan Hooton, managing director of Spearfish Security, said: "We are excited to open this office having worked extensively in the region for the past six years, delivering full time Security & Risk Managers to organisations operating in Nigeria. Having a permanent presence in West Africa reinforces our commitment to clients in this part of the world. It also ensures we can meet the needs of smaller organisations who may require support on an ‘as need’ basis, as well as larger clients looking to benefit from shared services.”
Spearfish works closely with organisations in the Corporate and International Development sectors. Its corporate client base includes companies in the finance, hospitality and manufacturing sectors, while its experience in the development sector covers health, energy, agriculture, climate change and women’s empowerment.
With Nigeria in the midst of an economic downturn, tied to the fall in crude oil prices, the country's security situation has deteriorated in recent years"
Designing security strategies
Spearfish's vast security and commercial experience enables it to deliver practical strategy and execution to organisations on a retained or per-project basis. Clients often engage the company to provide hands-on guidance for accommodation or trip management for employees; or to craft security strategies for offices or transportation programs.
“With Nigeria in the midst of an economic downturn, tied to the fall in crude oil prices, the country's security situation has deteriorated in recent years,” continued Hooton. “As the Nigerian military and its international partners continue to disrupt Boko Haram in the country's northeast, other jihadist groups, such as al-Qaeda and Islamic State, are active across the Sahel, particularly in Mali, taking advantage of poor governance. This threat has also spread to nearby Niger and Burkina Faso, spurring the G5 counterterrorism partnership into action in 2018.”
Growth in foreign aid across West Africa
The risk of kidnap remains high throughout West Africa, largely from militant groups, but also from criminals seeking ransom, as in Nigeria's Delta region. At the same time, West Africa has also seen a rapid influx of foreign aid with growing numbers of charities, companies, NGOs and government agencies deploying in the region.
Spearfish West Africa will be well-placed to serve this changing marketplace and offer clients peace-of-mind, enabling them to focus fully on their own operations.