Charles Awuzie has urged Nigerian lawmakers to open the nation’s security sector to private players, drawing a sharp comparison with South Africa’s powerful network of licensed security firms.
South Africa has more than 2.4 million private security officers working under the oversight of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority. They serve through over ten thousand companies and operate with training, surveillance tools and armed response units that often match or exceed public law enforcement capacity. Their teams monitor streets and neighbourhoods through extensive camera networks and respond quickly to suspicious activity. Many also work hand in hand with the police.
Awuzie argues that Nigeria could benefit from a similar model. He believes a broad private security industry would create millions of jobs, undercut criminal recruitment and encourage investment in advanced surveillance technology.
He contends that private firms would be driven by competition to protect clients and guard their reputations, while the police, as a public institution, might not react with the same urgency.
He calls for a national debate on the matter and urges lawmakers across all parties to explore legislation that would open the sector. According to his view, private companies are better placed to fund artificial intelligence systems, neighbourhood monitoring networks and other innovations that government bureaucracy may slow down.
Speaking from the G20 Summit in South Africa, Awuzie says the country’s strong private security presence has made it difficult for kidnapping, banditry and terrorism to take root. He believes Nigeria can learn from this approach and move towards a more inclusive security framework.
