Market research
in Nigeria
Consumer research, customer experience, data intelligence, media intelligence and opinion: how IMMAR supports advertisers, agencies and institutions in the Nigerian market since 1999.
The Nigerian market at a glance
Nigeria is Africa's largest consumer market by population, and one of the most dynamic FMCG markets on the continent. Its distribution rests on powerful open markets and a structuring informal trade (Balogun and Idumota in Lagos, Onitsha, Kano, Port Harcourt), while modern retail is developing in Lagos and Abuja, driven by a growing middle class. The country also stands out for a very active telecom and fintech sector, with strong growth in mobile payment and smartphone use, and an influential cultural industry. Consumption is spread across major metropolitan areas, led by Lagos, the country's economic hub.
Conducting research in Nigeria: what matters in the field
Running reliable research in the Nigerian market means taking several realities into account:
- Multilingualism: English is official, but Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin are essential. Pidgin is often decisive for reaching the mass market.
- Weight of open markets and informal trade: a large share of distribution flows through open markets, the backbone of FMCG flows, which methodologies built for modern retail fail to capture.
- Regional diversity: gaps between the North and the South, and ethnic and religious plurality, require stratified sampling and adapted logistics.
- Rise of digital: high mobile penetration and a booming fintech sector open up mobile and online collection modes, particularly in urban centres.
- Multiple metropolitan areas: beyond Lagos, several major cities (Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Ibadan) shape multi-hub sampling.
- Price sensitivity: inflation and naira volatility heighten attention to price, a key factor in consumer studies.
The sectors IMMAR covers in Nigeria
In the Nigerian 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 fintech: trust, customer experience, mobile-payment adoption
- Retail: mystery shopping, shopper studies, in-store execution
- 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 Nigerian market?
Talk to an IMMAR expertFrequently asked questions
How do you conduct market research in Nigeria?
Collect in several languages (English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Nigerian Pidgin), capture the weight of open markets and informal trade that structure distribution, and cover strong regional diversity between the North and the South. IMMAR deploys local teams and sampling plans matched to the size and diversity of the country.
Which languages should studies be conducted in?
English is official, but Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Nigerian Pidgin are essential in the field, particularly for the general public. Pidgin is often decisive for reaching the mass market. Every interview is administered in the language actually spoken.
How do you cover informal trade in Nigeria?
A large share of distribution flows through open markets and informal trade, the backbone of FMCG flows, which methodologies built for modern retail alone miss. IMMAR adapts its field set-ups to reach these channels, alongside the modern retail developing in Lagos and Abuja.
Why is the Nigerian market strategic?
It is Africa's largest consumer market by population and one of the most dynamic FMCG markets on the continent. Its growing middle class, very active fintech and influential cultural industry make it a market that cannot be ignored, but its size, regional diversity and the weight of informal trade demand genuine field knowledge.
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