Network Kenya
Qualitative market research in Kenya
Kenya has 57.8 million people, a median age of 20 and 77.5 million mobile connections, while four in ten people use the internet (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Qualitative research there works when it is designed for the phone, recruited through local partners and moderated in English or Kiswahili by someone who lives in the country. MindMarket runs in-depth interviews, focus groups and diaries in Kenya with local moderators and one project manager for your whole study.
AT A GLANCE
Kenya at a glance for researchers
- Population. 57.8 million people, median age 20.0, 30.7 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). A young country, with seven in ten people outside the cities.
- Languages. English and Kiswahili are the official languages, and most people also speak the language of their community. Our moderators live in Kenya and work in English and Kiswahili.
- Internet and mobile. 23.4 million internet users, 40.5 per cent of the population, and 77.5 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Mobile money is part of daily life, and the phone is the device participants have.
- Where fieldwork happens. Nairobi first, then Mombasa and Kisumu. Reaching people outside the cities takes local recruiters and more time, and we say so before the project starts.
- Data protection. The Data Protection Act, 2019: consent, a stated purpose, and participants told how recordings are stored. Consent is collected before each session.
- Timing. In December many families travel to their home counties, the long rains from March to May slow travel, and election periods are best avoided. We do not schedule fieldwork with Muslim audiences during Ramadan.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Kenya?
In Europe, an online interview from home is the default. In Kenya, four in ten people use the internet, the median age is 20, and the phone in a participant's hand is the research tool.
- Built for the phone. We design the discussion guide, the stimulus and any tasks to work on a phone screen, because that is the device participants have.
- The connection is tested first. The local team tests each participant's connection before the session is booked. When a home connection is not reliable enough, the participant is invited to the recruiter's office and interviewed from there.
- English, Kiswahili, or both. Many Kenyans move between English, Kiswahili and their own language in the same conversation. A moderator who lives in the country follows every switch and hears what a translator would miss.
- Nairobi is not Kenya. Seven in ten people live outside the cities. We agree with you whether the decision depends on Nairobi alone or on the towns and counties beyond it, before recruitment starts.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Kenya?
- We recruit through local partners in Kenya, who find the people your brief describes, in Nairobi and beyond.
- The local team tests each participant's internet connection before the session is booked, so a weak line is found before the interview, not during it.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Kenya?
Most studies in Kenya run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with mobile diaries, shop-alongs or ethnographic home visits when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Online in-depth interviews | Urban professionals, B2B buyers and users of digital services | Test the line first; offer the recruiter's office as a fallback |
| In-person interviews | Audiences outside the cities, and topics that need trust | Travel time; plan fewer sessions per day |
| Focus groups | Concepts, packaging and advertising in Nairobi or Mombasa | One language and one income level per group |
| Mobile diaries | Daily routines, payments and shopping, recorded on the phone | Keep uploads light; ask for photos and voice notes |
| Shop-alongs and home visits | Household products, food and retail, from supermarkets to kiosks | Agree the visit in advance; small pack sizes change what a price means |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Kenya
How much does market research cost in Kenya?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Kenya added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Audiences outside Nairobi take more travel and more time to recruit, which moves the price more than the number of sessions. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
Can I run online interviews in Kenya?
Yes, with preparation. Four in ten people use the internet (DataReportal, Digital 2026), so online interviews suit urban professionals and users of digital services. The local team tests each connection before the session is booked, and invites participants to the recruiter's office when a home line is not reliable enough.
Should sessions run in English or in Kiswahili?
In the language your participants are most at ease in. English works for many professionals in Nairobi; for everyday consumer topics, Kiswahili, or a mix of the two, goes deeper. Our moderators live in Kenya and follow every switch.
Is Nairobi enough, or should I add other places?
Nairobi is enough for products sold to urban, connected consumers. For a national decision, add Mombasa and Kisumu, and consider smaller towns, because seven in ten Kenyans live outside the cities. Recruitment there takes longer, and we tell you the timeline before the project starts.
When should I avoid fieldwork in Kenya?
In the second half of December, when many families travel to their home counties, and around elections. The long rains from March to May make travel slower, and we do not schedule fieldwork with Muslim audiences during Ramadan.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Kenya told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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