Neo-Liberalism and the Globalisation of Security: Explaining the Trends in Africa

The ascendancy of neo-liberalism as a dominant global ideology has significantly influenced the globalization of security, with profound implications for Africa. This study explores how neo-liberal economic principles—emphasizing deregulation, privatization, and the minimization of state functions—have redefined the governance of security across the continent. Grounded in Securitization and Postcolonial framework, the study interrogates how global security agendas, shaped by Western institutions and transnational actors, are embedded within African security architectures. These frameworks illuminate the dynamics of power, the asymmetrical nature of global governance, and the marginalization of local agency in favour of market-based solutions. Neo-liberal globalization has facilitated the rise of private military and security companies (PMSCs), outsourcing state security functions and often circumventing accountability mechanisms. Simultaneously, African states have become experimental grounds for security sector reform initiatives, frequently driven by donor interests and conditionalities, rather than endogenous needs. Issues like terrorism, migration, and resource control are increasingly securitized through a neo-liberal lens, attracting international intervention that aligns more with global economic interests than with local security imperatives. This qualitative study adopts longitudinal research design with data obtained from secondary sources content analysed to show trends on the issues at stake. The study highlights the trends in security governance in Africa, where state play a diminishing role, allowing private, and international actors interact in complex, often contradictory ways. Ultimately, the study argues that neo-liberalism’s influence on security globalization has entrenched trends of structural dependency and insecurity in Africa, challenging traditional notions of sovereignty and undermining sustainable, locally driven security initiatives.