Kantar Worldpanel expands into Africa

Strategic alliance with TNS RMS sees Kantar Worldpanel continue to extend its global position.

World leader in consumer knowledge Kantar Worldpanel has expanded into Africa with the launch of new consumer panels in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.

The new panels represent the first stage of Kantar Wordpanel’s planned expansion into Africa. The company expects to set up additional panels in more African markets in the near future.

Kantar Worldpanel has built its expansion to Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana through an alliance with fellow Kantar group market research agency, TNS RMS. The partnership combines the in-depth local understanding and expertise of TNS RMS and the international perspective and global consumer panel leadership of Kantar Worldpanel.

With the largest population in Africa and the second biggest economy, Nigeria is a key market for global FMCG companies and the existing Nigerian 3,000 household panel has been enhanced and re-launched to reflect the country’s growing importance.

In Kenya and Ghana, Kantar Worldpanel and TNS RMS have set-up completely new panels to help FMCG brands to find sources of growth in these two other highly-interesting markets.

The first datasets from Nigeria and Kenya are already available and are delivered to clients through WorldpanelOnline, Kantar Worldpanel’s advanced online delivery tool, providing easier and faster access to a broader understanding of the consumer.

All three panels provide detailed understanding on consumer behaviour by region, social class, household size and age of the main household purchaser. The panels are also aligned to Kantar Worldpanel’s international standards to benefit from best practices and facilitate international comparison.

Following the addition of these three important economies, Kantar Worldpanel offers consumer panel services in 59 countries worldwide and has reinforced its strong position in fast growing markets with operations in Asia, Middle East, Latin America and now Africa.

Josep Montserrat, Global CEO Kantar Worldpanel, said: “With a population of more than one billion and set to increase 50 per cent by 2030, Africa is an important growth market for global FMCG companies and represents a significant new business opportunity. We want to enable our clients to find and access these high growth markets, which is why we have expanded to Africa.

“We’re continuing to open in new markets across the globe in line with our strategic growth plan and our expansion to Africa closely follows our partnership with IMRB in India – helping our clients get as close as possible to the consumer in these key emerging economies.”

Adeola Tejumola, CEO TNS RMS WECA, said: “Africa is rapidly evolving and this strategic alliance with Kantar Worldpanel is an important step for FMCG brands wanting to gain critical insight and understanding about the African consumer. With robust samples, more accurate data collection and new tools for analysis, this partnership will generate greater insight for our clients and will help to integrate them with the international perspective that Kantar Worldpanel brings when seeking new opportunities for growth.”