Firm owner seeks reforms inprivate security
A FIRM, Security Skills Development Company (SSDC), has unveiled a Security Thought Leadership Programme in Lagos. Speaking at a media parley in Ogba, the company’s CEO/Managing Director, Mike Igbodipe, a
A FIRM, Security Skills Development Company (SSDC), has unveiled a Security Thought Leadership Programme in Lagos.
Speaking at a media parley in Ogba, the company’s CEO/Managing Director, Mike Igbodipe, a retired intelligence officer, said the private security sector remains unstructured beyond the regulatory oversight of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) on guard firms.
He noted that this was the right time for the sector to be properly harnessed towards integration into the national security framework.
Citing private guards’ numbers running into several thousands with a footprint across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, he said such a sector requires a well-structured administration that should integrate and support the national security resources.
Drawing a comparison with the United Kingdom, he noted that structured collaboration between regulators and private operators has produced enforceable certification and traceability standards, strengthening accountability within the sector.
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He argued that Nigeria requires a similar structured approach driven by collaboration between government and credible private sector actors.
He said the firm’s training programmes are accredited by local institutes, including a university, and America Council of Training and Development (ACTD).
The company also presented preliminary findings from its Security Outlook Survey launched in January. Early responses indicate that 53 per cent of respondents identified kidnapping and cybercrime as top concerns, while about 37 per cent highlighted terrorism and insurgency. Nearly 79 per cent expressed concern about possible pre-election security volatility.
SSDC said the survey forms part of its broader thought leadership strategy, which includes periodic expert roundtables and national security risk assessment reports.
The firm further announced plans to train retiring security personnel transitioning into the private sector, noting that many struggle to adapt to corporate culture after leaving structured security services.
“We prepare them for life in the private sector. That transition gap is real,” the managing director said.
SSDC reiterated its commitment to strengthening standards within the private security industry and promoting structured collaboration between public and private stakeholders to enhance Nigeria’s security architecture.
