Security Services: Another Important Investment Opportunity Available In Tanzania.

Public security and policing services are provided by the Tanzania Police Force and the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Services (TISS). Interpol has a presence in Tanzania and is based in Dar es Salaam.

There are few security firms operating in Tanzania relative to the market potential. These private security firms provide a broad range of services and products to businesses and householders, employing about one million guards nationally. Factors such as rapid gains in economic activity, rising personal incomes, foreign direct investment activities, and the increasing belief that public safety forces are overburdened or unable to provide sufficient protection, are positive signs in this sector. High increase of banks imply more opportunity to provide cash-in-transit security, high speed construction of office facilities indicates more room for security providers, and the influx of more firms engaged in exploration and extraction of gas, oil, and other minerals, is a clear indicator of promising security services market. 

The demand for security services in Tanzania is increasing due to the drivers of demand for security services, such as urbanization, real and perceived risks of crime and terrorism, belief and reality that public safety measures are not efficient, and most importantly, the growth of the middle class, with assets to protect and the means to pay for supplementary services. The intensity of security service use (measured against indicators such as GDP and urban population) in Tanzania is relatively low, indicating significant growth potential now and towards the unforeseen future. Furthermore, increasing regulation and a trend toward greater professionalism improves public trust in security service businesses, thereby driving the market size.