afrivad

What afrivad does

AfriVAD is a privately-held value-added distributor and IT solutions provider founded in 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya, operating across more than 10 African countries. The company sells and integrates cybersecurity, datacenter, and network infrastructure solutions from global vendors including Palo Alto Networks, Forcepoint, Mandiant, LogRhythm, Trellix, Group-IB, Gigamon, and Juniper Networks to governmental entities and large enterprises undergoing digital transformation.

The firm's portfolio spans four service lines: Professional Services (implementation and technology migration), Training Services (an Authorized Training Center for Palo Alto Networks and Forcepoint, plus CertNexus and CyberSec First Responder certifications), Managed Services (Managed SOC, MSSP, and MDR on subscription), and Cybersecurity Services (Red Team offensive testing and Blue Team DFIR/SIEM/SOAR consulting). Underlying delivery combines the firm's own consulting staff with solution bundles built on integrated third-party platforms, with 24/7 remote and on-site support tiers governed by multi-class SLAs.

AfriVAD makes money through a hybrid of distribution/resale transaction fees on vendor products, professional services fees for implementation and migration projects, recurring subscription revenue from managed security services, and training fees for certified courses. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales to government and large enterprise accounts with a channel partner network of vendors and resellers across the African continent. The company is founder-led (Richard Blackwood), reports 1–10 employees and 90+ completed mega projects, and has disclosed no external venture or private equity funding.

Name

afrivad

Legal name

AfriVAD

Website

https://afrivad.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AfriVAD is a Nairobi-based value-added distributor and IT solutions provider, founded in 2006, that delivers cybersecurity, datacenter, and network infrastructure products and services from global vendors to governmental entities and large enterprises across more than 10 African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Data Security & Privacy Managed Services (DLP/Encryption) (BPAEADAL)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity distribution
• Managed security services
• IT infrastructure solutions
• Value-added distribution
• Cybersecurity training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Value-Added Distribution: Creating sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through marketing activities, training, technical support, project support, sales support, product aggregation and distribution of cybersecurity and IT infrastructure solutions.
2. Professional Services: Implementation services, technology migration, and consulting services for enterprises and governmental entities undergoing digital transformation.
3. Managed Security Services: Recurring managed SOC, MSSP, and MDR services provided on subscription basis for continuous security monitoring and protection.
4. Training Services: Authorized training center providing vendor certifications (Palo Alto Networks, Forcepoint), CertNexus training, and CyberSec First Responder courses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AfriVAD is a value-added distributor and IT solutions provider operating across 10+ African countries, delivering cybersecurity, datacenter, and network infrastructure solutions. The company bundles technology from world-leading vendors (Palo Alto Networks, Forcepoint, Mandiant, LogRhythm, Trellix) with professional services (implementation, technology migration), managed security services (Managed SOC, MSSP, MDR), cybersecurity services (Red Team, Blue Team, consultation), and authorized training programs for enterprises and governmental entities undergoing digital transformation.

Product overview

AfriVAD is an IT solutions provider and value-added distributor operating across Africa, offering an integrated portfolio of cybersecurity, datacenter, and network infrastructure solutions. The company provides a layered portfolio of services including Professional Services (implementation and technology migration), Training Services (authorized training center for Palo Alto Networks and Forcepoint, CertNexus, CyberSec First Responder), Managed Services (Managed SOC, MSSP, MDR), and Cybersecurity Services (Red Team penetration testing, Blue Team incident response/DFIR, consultation services). AfriVAD also distributes and resells technology products from vendors including Mandiant, LogRhythm, Group-IB, Nexthink, Micro Focus, Gigamon, and Trellix, along with solution areas covering Security Intelligence, Security Infrastructure, Data Center Infrastructure, Network Infrastructure, End-point Protection, and Security Operation Center design and consulting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Services Implementation services for deploying IT solutions according to validated design and best practices, including technology migration for applications, software, cloud, data, and server/database environments, delivered to enterprises and governmental entities.
• Training Services Authorized training center offering vendor-certified programs for Palo Alto Networks and Forcepoint, plus CertNexus training and CyberSec First Responder certification courses for IT personnel and security practitioners.
• Managed Services Outsourced 24/7 monitoring and management of security devices and systems including Managed SOC, MSSP, and MDR services for enterprises and governmental entities requiring continuous protection and incident response.
• Cybersecurity Services Comprehensive cybersecurity services including Red Team (penetration testing, social engineering, adversary emulation), Blue Team (incident response, DFIR, SIEM/SOAR), and Consultation Services (threat modeling, risk assessment, compliance) for organizations needing security validation and incident handling.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MandiantcoreTechnology or IntegrationRecognized by enterprises and governments as market leader in threat intelligence and expertise gained on frontlines of cybersecurity. Mandiant provides advanced threat intelligence capabilities integrated into Afrivad's service offerings.
• LogRhythmcoreTechnology or IntegrationSIEM solutions and Security Operations Center services enabling organizations to detect, respond, and neutralize cyber threats. Core technology partner for Afrivad's managed SOC offerings.
• Group-IBcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading provider of solutions for detection and prevention of cyberattacks, online fraud, and IP protection. Provides threat detection and prevention capabilities.
• GigamoncoreTechnology or IntegrationVisibility and control solutions for hybrid cloud workload deployments, extending on-prem and cloud-based security visibility.
• Palo Alto NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Training Center partner providing certified training programs for IT personnel to manage and secure networks.
• ForcepointcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Training Center partner for cybersecurity training and certification programs.
• TrellixcoreTechnology or IntegrationLiving XDR architecture that adapts at speed of threat actors and delivers advanced cyber threat intelligence.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Cyber1: Cyber1 is a publicly listed cybersecurity solutions and services provider with deep African (particularly South African) operations, operating as both a value-added distributor and MSSP — making it the most directly comparable peer to AfriVAD's hybrid distribution-plus-managed-services model.
• Tarsus Technologies: Tarsus Technologies is a pan-African IT value-added distributor headquartered in South Africa, distributing enterprise software, security, and infrastructure solutions through reseller channels — comparable to AfriVAD's distribution leg and partner-led GTM motion.
• Axiz: Axiz is an African IT value-added distributor focused on enterprise security, networking, and data centre technologies, serving resellers and end customers across Sub-Saharan Africa — closely matching AfriVAD's portfolio and channel-partner-led go-to-market.

Broad incumbents

• Liquid Intelligent Technologies (Cassava Technologies): Liquid Intelligent Technologies is a pan-African fibre-optic and managed ICT services provider within Cassava Technologies, offering enterprise security and managed services across more than a dozen African countries — a broader incumbent with overlapping managed-security capabilities.
• Dimension Data (NTT DATA): Dimension Data, now part of NTT DATA, is a global systems integrator with one of the largest African IT services footprints, including cybersecurity services — a broad incumbent competitor for enterprise and government digital transformation contracts.
• SecureWorks: SecureWorks is a global MSSP offering managed detection and response, threat hunting, and incident response — a broad incumbent whose expansion into African markets directly competes with AfriVAD's Managed SOC/MSSP/MDR offerings.
• Trustwave: Trustwave is a global cybersecurity and managed detection and response provider — a broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise and government managed-security engagements that AfriVAD targets across Africa.
• Mimecast: Mimecast is a global cybersecurity vendor with a growing African footprint focused on email and data security — an emerging-adjacent broad incumbent whose African channel expansion overlaps with AfriVAD's distribution and managed-services portfolio.

Regional players

• First Distribution: First Distribution is a major South African IT value-added distributor of enterprise hardware, software, and security solutions — comparable to AfriVAD's distribution business model, though more South Africa-centric.
• Comztek: Comztek is a Southern African IT value-added distributor focused on cybersecurity and enterprise networking, distributing global vendor brands to resellers — comparable to AfriVAD's distribution function though operating in a narrower geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Afrivad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afrivalueadded

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about afrivad