Market Research Companies in Kenya

Key figures for researchers

Population

47.6 million (2019 census)¹

Urban population

31.1%²

Household size

3.9 people on average¹

Under 35

75.1% of the population²

Languages

Kiswahili (national and official), English (official), many indigenous languages⁴

Adult literacy rate (15+)

82.9% (2022)⁵

Internet users

35% of individuals (2024)⁶

Mobile subscriptions

78.4 million, 149.5 per 100 people (Dec. 2025)⁷

Mobile money subscriptions

51.4 million (Dec. 2025)⁷

GDP per capita

about US$2,360 (2025)⁹

Research guide

Research landscape

Most market research agencies are based in Nairobi, the capital and the regional hub for East Africa; Nairobi City alone has 4.4 million inhabitants. Local independent agencies work alongside offices of international research networks, and many also manage fieldwork in neighbouring East African countries.

Languages and fieldwork

Kiswahili is the national language, and Kiswahili and English are the official languages; the Constitution also protects the country’s many indigenous languages. General public questionnaires are usually prepared in English and Kiswahili, with interviewers who speak the local language in rural areas. English is common for B2B and executive interviews.

Kenya is divided into 47 counties, which are the usual basis for regional quotas. 68.9% of the population lives in rural areas, and density varies widely: from 6,247 people per km² in Nairobi City to 6 in Marsabit. Sparsely populated northern counties need more travel time and budget for face-to-face fieldwork.

Which methods work

Kenya is mobile-first: there are 149.5 mobile subscriptions per 100 people and 51.4 million mobile money subscriptions. Telephone interviews (CATI) and mobile surveys are widely used and reach far beyond the cities. Phones are a mix of smartphones (42.4 million) and feature phones (32.5 million), so web-based mobile surveys reach only part of the population, while voice calls also reach feature-phone users.

With 35% of individuals using the internet, online panels over-represent urban, younger and educated respondents: ask the agency how the panel is recruited and weighted. For the general population, especially in rural areas, face-to-face interviews (CAPI) with quotas by county, area type, age and gender remain the reference. Focus groups are usually held in Nairobi, and in Mombasa, Kisumu or Nakuru for regional studies.

Timing

Kenya has two rainy seasons: the long rains (March to May, peaking in April in most regions and in May on the coast) and the short rains (October to December). Heavy rain can make rural roads difficult: plan extra time for face-to-face fieldwork in these months. Fieldwork usually slows around Christmas and New Year, Easter, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and the national holidays of Madaraka Day (June), Mashujaa Day (October) and Jamhuri Day (December).

The next general election is set for 10 August 2027, with official campaigns from late May to early August 2027. Around this period, consumer sentiment and media habits can shift and some respondents are more cautious with strangers: discuss timing and any political questions with the agency.

Data protection

Personal data is governed by the Data Protection Act 2019 and supervised by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). Data controllers and processors must register with the ODPC, unless their annual turnover is below KES 5 million and they have fewer than 10 employees (some sectors, such as direct marketing, must register whatever their size). Controllers based outside Kenya that process personal data of people located in Kenya are also required to register. Registration is valid for two years.

Health, ethnic origin, beliefs, genetic and biometric data are sensitive data with stricter rules, and transfers abroad require proof of appropriate safeguards (and consent for sensitive data). Separately, NACOSTI issues research licences: it states that all persons undertaking research in Kenya must apply, including consultants and private organisations, and that foreign researchers need a local affiliation. Its guidance does not specifically mention commercial market research, so ask your agency whether a licence is needed for your study.

Working with a local agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, counties, urban/rural split, method, languages and deadline.
• Ask who does the fieldwork: own interviewers or subcontractors, in which counties, and which local languages they cover.
• Ask about quality control: back-checks, GPS or audio checks for face-to-face interviews, supervision of CATI calls.
• Check that the agency is registered with the ODPC and whether a NACOSTI research licence is needed for your study.
• Ask how fieldwork is planned around the rainy seasons, holidays and the 2027 election period.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 companies from this page.