Spearfish West Africa opened in Abuja, Nigeria earlier this year. It’s a wholly-owned subsidiary of the UK parent, risk and security management company Spearfish Security. The firm says 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.
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 and 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 with the corporate and international development sectors; it covers companies in the finance, hospitality and manufacturing sectors, and health, energy, agriculture, climate change and women’s empowerment respectively. The firm works on a retained or per-project basis. Clients often engage the company to provide guidance for accommodation or trip management for employees; or to craft security strategies for offices or transportation programs.
Hooton, pictured centre, added: “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. 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.”
The Winchester-based firm adds that risk of kidnap remains high throughout West Africa, largely from militant groups, but also from criminals seeking ransom, as in Nigeria’s Delta region. West Africa has also seen a rapid influx of foreign aid as charities, companies, NGOs and government agencies deploy in the region. Visit www.spear-fish.com.
