Market research
in Rwanda
Consumer research, customer experience, data intelligence, media intelligence and opinion: how IMMAR supports advertisers, agencies and institutions in the Rwandan market since 1999.
The Rwandan market at a glance
Rwanda is a small but remarkably organised East African market, recognised for its stability, good governance and one of the most business-friendly environments on the continent. Its fast-growing economy is driven by services, which make up half of it, ahead of agriculture and industry, and the country is betting on high-end tourism (gorillas), business events (MICE) and innovation, with Kigali as its showcase. Rwanda is among the continent's most advanced markets in digitalisation and mobile payment, carried by MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. Kinyarwanda is spoken by the whole population, alongside English, the language of education and business, French and Swahili.
Conducting research in Rwanda: what matters in the field
Running reliable research in the Rwandan market means taking several realities into account:
- Organised environment: a stable, business-friendly framework facilitates structured studies and set-ups comparable over time.
- Survey languages: Kinyarwanda is spoken by the whole population, alongside English, French and Swahili depending on the target. Every interview is administered in the language actually spoken.
- Digital lead: the maturity of mobile money and digital services facilitates mobile and online collection and makes payment a behaviour to study.
- Concentration on Kigali: the capital concentrates modern economic activity, while calling for coverage of the densely populated rural areas according to the objective.
- Regional business hub: Kigali's positioning as a conference and business venue makes it a useful base for regional and institutional studies.
The sectors IMMAR covers in Rwanda
In the Rwandan market, IMMAR supports players across several sectors, with set-ups tailored to each:
- FMCG: consumer understanding, brand tracking, retail execution
- Banking, finance and mobile money: trust, customer experience, mobile-payment adoption
- Telecommunications: customer experience, network quality, brand image
- 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 Rwandan market?
Talk to an IMMAR expertFrequently asked questions
How do you conduct market research in Rwanda?
Draw on an organised, business-friendly environment, collect in Kinyarwanda, spoken by the whole population, as well as in English, French or Swahili depending on the target, and factor in the country's lead in digitalisation and mobile money. IMMAR deploys local teams and tailored methodologies.
Which language should studies be conducted in, in Rwanda?
Kinyarwanda is spoken by the whole population and ensures data quality. English, the language of education and business, French and Swahili are also used depending on the target and context. IMMAR administers each interview in the language the respondent actually speaks.
How does digitalisation shape research in Rwanda?
Rwanda is one of the continent's most advanced markets in digitalisation and mobile payment, carried by MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money. This digital maturity facilitates mobile and online collection and makes payment behaviour an object of study in its own right. IMMAR combines digital, telephone and face-to-face collection depending on the target.
Why is the Rwandan market strategic?
Rwanda is a small but remarkably organised, business-friendly market recognised for good governance. Its fast-growing services economy, its lead in digitalisation, its high-end tourism and its role as a regional business and conference (MICE) hub make it a strategic market, well suited to modern methodologies.
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