In a region where most businesses are still relatively new and startups are growing at a rapid rate (Statista), it’s often difficult to know how long it will take to conduct market research in Africa.
Due to its good climate, natural resources, agriculture, wildlife, and improving governmental and macroeconomic policies, the African continent has become a great location for commercial ventures and possesses progressive economic potential.
According to Future Agenda, Africa’s population is steadily approaching 2 billion people. By 2040, the continent’s 1,1 billion labor force will be the largest in the world. With a combined GDP of $2.6 trillion and consumer spending of $1.4 trillion, many anticipate the impact of over 500 million new middle-class consumers.
Consequently, businesses looking to expand there must consider market research in Africa for actionable insights.
Nevertheless, it has become essential to comprehend the typical timeframe for conducting market research in Africa. This is especially crucial for companies intending to survey the continent, as they must be well prepared and have the required tools in place before, during, and after the market research exercise.
There is typically no specific deadline for completing a market research project. However, several factors affect the typical turnaround time for market research in Africa. Factors like the actual market research project, the number of respondents, and the target country highly influence how long it takes to conduct market research in Africa.
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The timeline for market research varies depending on the scope and objectives of the research
If for example, you’re conducting a competitive analysis, then it’s important to understand your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses so that you can provide them with an edge over their competition. In this case, your timeline would be shorter than if your objective was simply to gain insight into how consumers view your brand or product line at present time (or what they may think about it in the future).
Similarly, if you’re planning an expansion into another country where there is no direct experience with your business model or products yet (or at least none that hasn’t already been tested), then it’ll take longer than if those same steps were being taken within one’s own backyard – because there will simply be fewer data available from which to draw conclusions about what works best before embarking upon such an endeavor.
Minimum timeframe for market research in Africa
As indicated earlier, the answer depends. However, this is not a very pragmatic response. According to Dimensional Research, the average duration of a market research project is six to seven weeks. So, let’s get into the specifics, keeping in mind that it depends on your research project.
The following are the factors that determine the minimum market research schedules provided stakeholders respond promptly. However, these timescales are never shortened; they are simply extended when unanticipated roadblocks arise.
1. The number of respondents.
The number of survey respondents has a substantial impact on the duration of a market research project. This is why conducting research with 1,000 respondents will surely take longer than with 100.
2. Online or Offline research.
Offline qualitative research requires more time than online qualitative research. This is partly because offline research necessitates that our moderators in your target country become familiar with your questions and devise strategies to encourage respondents’ cooperation.
It is recommended that online surveys take respondents between 3 and 5 minutes to complete (or less). Typically, online surveys have 10 to 25 questions. Online survey platforms like Survey54, can collaborate with clients to prioritize research objectives and develop appropriate survey questions.
The variance in time required to accomplish the project is contingent upon the research approach and outputs. Generally, it takes between 5 and 10 days to conduct market research in Africa.
3. Deeper research.
Deeper research, such as focus groups and online video conversations, also requires more time to accomplish. A focus group with 10 to 12 people may last 1.5 to 2 hours on average. However, shorter focus groups lasting less than an hour are gaining popularity.
Depending on the topic and objectives of the discussion, shorter focus groups are optimal and more cost-effective. Reduced moderator time and smaller honorarium payments among other factors contribute to the cheaper cost.
4. Detailed Survey report.
A detailed survey report comes with a full summary and a Psycographic account of responses.
A survey report is a document whose purpose is to objectively portray the facts acquired during the survey. It provides an easy-to-understand and graphically appealing summary of all the collected responses.
The report follows a regular structure, with distinct sections, headings, subheadings, and so on. This explains why a detailed research report takes time to complete too.
4. Question creation.
When clients already have their questions, it is quicker to generate them. However, if you like to collaborate with our experts to create your research questions, this may lead to an additional 1–2 days to the standard research timeline.
5. Survey location.
The timeframe of your market research in Africa is heavily influenced by the country you choose to study.
A market research project that focuses on Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya can be completed rather quickly compared to other regions of the continent. In these nations, it can take 1 to 3 days to do quantitative research online and 7 to 10 days to conduct offline surveys.
Other African nations may take 5 to 7 days for online quantitative research and 10 to 15 days for offline research.
This difference is partly attributable to the greater willingness and excitement to answer surveys in Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya than in other regions of the continent. Notwithstanding, Survey54 is adept at deciphering the opinions of survey respondents from different African regions.
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Our experience spans B2C and B2B, Qualitative and Quantitative, and a wide range of business sectors
Survey54 is a seasoned consumer intelligence platform for Africa and emerging markets that focus on resolving the lack of consumer data that has negatively impacted the business decisions of various companies in the region.
We have a wide range of experience and expertise across the business landscape, including B2C and B2B, Qualitative and Quantitative research. Our team is experienced in conducting market research for sectors such as retail, healthcare, FMCGs, body and skin care, technology, and more.
Our experience spans both qualitative and quantitative methods as well as a variety of business sectors including banking (including online banking), insurance (home & auto), telecoms, media/entertainment/fashion/sports, education, NGOs, etc.
With our cutting-edge technologies, we make it easier for businesses to comprehend African consumers. We are Africa’s largest research panel, with over 500,000 active consumers giving unrivaled capacity across the continent.
In addition to data collection, our AI-enabled platform provides real-time analysis and actionable insights. In addition, we provide fully managed, guided, and do-it-yourself market research and data collection solutions for businesses in Africa.
Contact Us for additional information on how to navigate the market research process successfully, if you have questions about our survey dashboard or pricing options.
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