A new report from the World Security Report 2025, published by Allied Universal and G4S, has revealed that Kenyan businesses are bracing for another turbulent year ahead, just months after the Gen Z-led demonstrations. Political instability and civil unrest have now overtaken economic instability as the top risks facing companies in the coming year.
According to the report, 45% of Kenyan Chief Security Officers (CSOs) rank political instability as their biggest concern, closely followed by civil unrest at 43%, both well above regional averages.
More than one in five companies (approximately 21%) expect to be directly affected by protests over the next year, the highest rate reported anywhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.
However, there is a glimmer of optimism on the economic front: concerns over instability have fallen to 41%, down from 52% last year. Meanwhile, fraud, largely driven by financial pressures, remains the leading external threat, mentioned by 41% of firms.
Laurence Okelo, Managing Director of G4S Kenya, said, “Political and civil unrest can have an immediate and costly impact on businesses and investor confidence, and security leaders are preparing to bolster their physical security programmes in response.”
“The predicted easing of economic instability provides some room for optimism, but companies must continue building resilience through security upgrades, workforce safety, and contingency planning,” he added.
Additionally, physical security budgets are set to increase, according to 79% of Kenyan businesses, one of the highest rates in the region. Their top priorities include investment in new technology and infrastructure (83%), risk assessment (71%), and regulatory compliance (66%).
According to the key findings from the World Security Report, commissioned by Allied Universal, 2,352 Chief Security Officers (CSOs) across 31 countries at medium and large global companies, with total revenues exceeding $25 trillion, participated in the research. This included 58 security chiefs from Kenya and 174 in total from Sub-Saharan Africa.
The report also includes insights from 200 global institutional investors managing over $1 trillion in assets.
The recent Gen Z protests negatively impacted the economy, as well as the retail and hospitality sectors.
CSOs highlighted the potentially costly fallout from security incidents, with nearly half (45%) reporting revenue losses as a result. More companies in Kenya than anywhere else in Sub-Saharan Africa also reported increased insurance costs.
Furthermore, institutional investors warned that a major security incident could reduce the value of a listed company by as much as 32%.
Christo Terblanche, Regional President of G4S Africa, added, “Consistent with the 2023 findings, fraud remains the dominant internal and external threat across the region, which can be tied back to economic instability. Despite these challenges, there are plenty of opportunities across the region, and it is encouraging to see planned investments in smart security infrastructure and AI-powered video surveillance.”
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