Market research
in Burundi
Consumer research, customer experience, data intelligence, media intelligence and opinion: how IMMAR supports advertisers, agencies and institutions in the Burundian market since 1999.
The Burundian market at a glance
Burundi is a small East African market, among the most densely populated on the continent and largely rural. Its economy is driven by services and by agriculture, particularly Arabica coffee, which makes up most of its exports, alongside tea. Informal employment heavily dominates activity, and consumption runs mainly through proximity trade and markets. The country is organised around two hubs: Bujumbura, the economic centre and largest city, and Gitega, now the political capital. Mobile money is developing to widen access to financial services. Kirundi is spoken by almost the entire population, with French serving administration and education, and Swahili commercial exchange in cities.
Conducting research in Burundi: what matters in the field
Running reliable research in the Burundian market means taking several realities into account:
- Survey languages: Kirundi is spoken by almost the entire population and ensures data quality; French and Swahili are useful depending on the target and area. Every interview is administered in the language actually spoken.
- High rural density: a dense, largely rural population calls for sampling plans covering the countryside beyond the two urban hubs.
- Agricultural, informal economy: agriculture and proximity trade structure consumption, which shopper studies must be designed to reach.
- Two urban hubs: Bujumbura, the economic centre, and Gitega, the political capital, shape sampling before extending to the provinces.
- Mixed demand: research demand comes from both private players and institutions, NGOs and donors, on opinion, society and programme evaluation.
The sectors IMMAR covers in Burundi
In the Burundian market, IMMAR supports players across several sectors, with set-ups tailored to each:
- FMCG: consumer understanding, brand tracking, retail execution
- Telecommunications: customer experience, network quality, brand image
- Banking, finance and mobile money: trust, customer experience, mobile-payment adoption
- Retail: mystery shopping, in-store experience, shopper studies
- Media: audience, editorial intelligence, ad monitoring
A response built around your question
Every assignment starts with a question, posed by an advertiser, an agency, an institution or a local player. That question shapes which expertise is brought to bear. IMMAR brings together five complementary areas:
| Area of expertise | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Consumer Research | Quantitative and qualitative studies, panels, U&A, segmentation: understanding local behaviours, needs and usage |
| Customer Experience | NPS, CSAT, mystery shopping, network audits: measuring the service quality actually delivered |
| Data Intelligence & AI | Data analysis and activation, decision dashboards, modelling |
| Media Intelligence | Media monitoring, audience measurement, ad monitoring, social listening |
| Opinion & Society | Barometers, opinion studies, societal and institutional dynamics |
A market research or Market Intelligence project in the Burundian market?
Talk to an IMMAR expertFrequently asked questions
How do you conduct market research in Burundi?
Cover a densely populated, largely rural country, collect in Kirundi, spoken by almost the entire population, as well as in French and Swahili depending on the target, and account for a largely informal agricultural economy. IMMAR deploys local teams and long-standing field knowledge.
Which language should studies be conducted in, in Burundi?
Kirundi is spoken by almost the entire population and ensures data quality. French is the language of administration and education, and Swahili serves as a trading language in urban centres and border areas. IMMAR administers each interview in the language the respondent actually speaks.
How do you cover Bujumbura and Gitega in Burundi?
The country is organised around two hubs: Bujumbura, the economic centre and largest city, and Gitega, the political capital. IMMAR builds sampling plans that cover both hubs and the densely populated rural areas, combining face-to-face with mobile or telephone modes where access allows.
Why is the Burundian market one to watch?
Burundi is a small, densely populated East African market, with an economy driven by agriculture, particularly Arabica coffee, and by services. Its largely informal consumption, and research demand coming from both private players and institutions and donors, make it a market where fine field knowledge and command of Kirundi are decisive.
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