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G4S targets Africa for massive growth

G4S expects to see double-digit growth from its African business over the next two years as a result of increased foreign investment in the continent.

Andy Baker, the newly appointed regional president for Africa at G4S, says that many European and North American multinationals are looking to Africa for growth because their home markets are stagnant and saturated. This is helping to spur massive demand for security services in industries such as banking, mining, oil & gas, public sector, airports, ports and telecommunications.

Companies operating in these sectors depend on reliable security services to keep their businesses running and outsource these requirements to organisations such as G4S so that they can concentrate on their core businesses, says Baker. “Without the support of our business, many of our customers would be unable to operate in certain regions in Africa.

“Whether we are helping them to manage and transport cash, protect their property, or ensure that visitors, travelling executives and employees are safe, we ensure that they can keep their businesses running smoothly and securely in difficult environments.”

Baker was appointed to the role at G4S to oversee a programme of aggressive acquisitive and organic growth for G4S across Africa over the next three to five years. He says that despite the group’s already considerable size and scale in Africa, it sees many opportunities to grow business in existing territories and to launch services in a number of new markets.

With plans to expand into three new African countries over the next 12 months, Baker anticipates that Africa will be a major engine of growth for the company in the next couple of years.

G4S currently operates in about 30 African countries and is in the process of entering three more this year. The typical strategy is to follow multinational clients into new markets where they need security to operate and expand their businesses. G4S has large pan-regional deals in place with many of its multinational clients.”

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