Safety first with G4S in Mozambique

Mozambique

Helder dos Santos, managing director of G4S Secure Solutions Mozambique, talks to The Energy Year about staying ahead of security threats in Mozambique and utilising technology to monitor safety and operations in a range of industrial sectors. G4S is a multinational security and facility services company.

What are the main security challenges in Mozambique at the moment?
Security in Mozambique is challenging. Easy access to licences and insufficient enforcement of regulation allow many security companies to disregard labour laws and operate below standards. The ongoing insurgency has disrupted development and created security concerns.
Additionally, the country’s vast size and underdeveloped infrastructure create logistical hurdles for security operations, but therein also lies the opportunity. G4S is a global leader in providing security services and in Mozambique the company has approximately 9,000 security officers stationed in all provinces and major cities, nationwide.
G4S prioritises quality and invests heavily in advanced security technology and staff training. This focus, along with the recent acquisition by the Allied Universal Group, solidifies our position as the global leader in security services enhancing our local and regional footprint. We are truly global, regional and local.

Does G4S offer services specifically for the energy industry?
G4S provides a range of services to the energy industry. Starting with risk consulting solutions, we also provide cash-in-transit and manned guarding services, camera and control room operations, armed response, canine solutions, drone operations as well as health and safety services and training.
We distinguish ourselves because we do not simply offer security guards at a set price. Firstly, G4S leverages its multinational network to access the best talent and resources and bring them in regionally or internationally as needed. Secondly, we take a comprehensive approach that factors in all relevant risks which are specific to our clients’ operations and locations. This includes not just security threats but also health and safety concerns including community relations, fire and traffic hazards in high-activity yards.
By tailoring our solutions to our clients’ risk profiles, whether in maritime operations, strategic locations, or anything else, we ensure that our security measures evolve in anticipation of potential threats. Through open communication and collaborative partnerships with our clients, we deliver the most effective security solutions available.

What is the company’s operational strategy in Mozambique?
Our core principle is simple: prioritise the customer. We evaluate everything through that lens, asking how we can offer the best service at the most competitive price while minimising risks for our clients. Our approach emphasises operational excellence and we’re investing heavily in automation and electronic systems to streamline and improve our processes.
We’re also investing in both training and electronic measures to ensure proper oversight. These combined efforts set us apart and allow us to lead the security sector with the sheer number of people that we employ and the spaces we protect across the country. We are, in effect, partners with local authorities in combating crime.

How does G4S integrate technology into its workforce and operations?
G4S security personnel who physically patrol client locations are tracked with geolocation technology so we can continuously verify their location, and our central control room functions as the nerve centre of our operations, monitoring all guard activity in real time. Sign-ins, location trackers and panic alarms all feed into this central hub, allowing us to respond swiftly to any security incidents or client needs.
However, we go beyond just supervision. We offer a comprehensive suite of security products and services, including risk and security system consulting, alarm monitoring and remote camera access, and drone patrols. We are a global company with a strong local presence in Mozambique. Virtually all of our workforce is Mozambican, and we leverage local expertise and advanced technology to deliver the most effective security solutions in the country.

What innovations has G4S recently integrated into its operations?
While we maintain a competitive advantage by keeping some details confidential, I can share that we have developed remote monitoring capabilities that allow greater customisation of our services and drone operations, and introduced enhanced AI-driven tools and reporting, amongst other elements.
Since we work with contract-specific SLAs [service level agreements] and KPIs, we can choose the best technology on a case-by-case basis and utilise it to enhance patrolling and supervision, for example, or to allow more accurate application of health and safety measures. Drones have become particularly useful and effective in mining operations, while in other scenarios, our AI solutions and canine units provide excellent results.

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