African governments, investors, and companies should focus on talent development and flexible technology as they pursue smart city and major infrastructure projects, according to Andy Mackay, marketing director for Genetec across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
Mackay, speaking in an interview with Africa Digest News, said the continent faces a shortage of professionals who can leverage physical security software to deliver business value beyond traditional security functions. He emphasized that next-generation security is not just about protecting assets but also supporting organizational growth and smart city initiatives.
Technology and hybrid deployments
Technology partnerships are equally critical. Mackay highlighted the need for unified, open platforms that can operate in cloud environments. “There are technology companies that are unified and open and want to be enabled in cloud environments. And those technology partners are actually able to add the value that organizations need to be able to monitor and improve a smart city as an example,” he said.
On deployment models, Mackay said African organizations must weigh the trade-offs between cloud, on-premises, and hybrid solutions. While cloud infrastructure provides advanced analytics and AI capabilities, many systems cannot move entirely to the cloud due to regulatory, capability, or infrastructure constraints. He recommended a hybrid approach, running some workloads on-premises, some in the cloud, and others on edge devices to balance efficiency with risk management.
“It’s really important that organizations think about a hybrid deployment. So some workloads can be run on premise, some workloads in the cloud where needed and then some out on the edge on edge devices.” he said.
Physical security as a strategic function
Mackay said physical security is increasingly viewed as a strategic contributor rather than a reactive function. Organizations are transitioning from managing only people and assets to leveraging security systems to add business value and safeguard the broader ecosystem.
Measuring success and future-proofing
On evaluating security and smart city initiatives, Mackay said success should be measured not only by operational efficiency, incident reduction, cost savings, and regulatory compliance but also by the ability of platforms to adapt to future organizational needs.
He stressed the importance of selecting technology that can evolve with the organization, providing long-term value and enabling new business opportunities.
“Find a platform that is future proof and has the direction to add even more value as organizations grow and develop.” Mackay noted.
Mai concluded that for Africa to fully realize the potential of smart cities and infrastructure projects, investment in skilled personnel, flexible technology, and adaptable deployment models is essential.