Currently, around 150,000 employees are engaged in security duties under approximately 1,050 private security agencies serving both public and private sector institutions. The sector is governed under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act No. 45 of 1998. However, authorities have observed that the existing legal framework is insufficient to effectively regulate agencies and personnel in line with present-day requirements and service standards.
Under the proposed reforms, new provisions will be introduced to regulate the registration and cancellation of licenses of private security agencies, as well as the issuance of firearms licenses. The measures also include classifying security services based on their nature, implementing structured training programmes aligned with those classifications, introducing a code of ethics to ensure quality service, and providing training opportunities under National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) levels.
The proposal was submitted by the President in his capacity as Minister of Defence and received Cabinet approval.
