Research highlights how consumers are battling with cost of living

The 2025 Africa Life report by global market research company Kantar continues to add layers of complexity and understanding to the unfolding appreciation for Africa’s nuanced consumer experience.  

In 2017, Kantar began delving into the mind of the African consumer. Over the years, various markets have been included in the Africa Life studies and, in 2025, the spotlight fell on Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa.  

The latest research has highlighted how consumers in these five markets are all battling with the cost of living, high unemployment and, notably in the case of South Africa, the threat of crime and violence (cited by 56% of respondents).  

High levels of stress are evident in Kenya, where 62% cited government corruption, and in Nigeria – the most stressed country surveyed – where economic woes have been linked to rampant inflation.  

Across a basket of 42 essentials – including edible oil, pasta and soap – Kantar pointed to a 54% hike in prices for Nigerians, compared to larger and less dramatic increases for FMCG basket comparisons with Kenya (85 items and a 6% rise) and South Africa (116 items at 8% inflation). 

Pressure on Nigerian consumers is extreme 

The pressure on Nigerian consumers currently is extreme, said Daniel Oseman, MD: East Africa, and the first Kantar expert to address the webinar launching the 2025 report.  

“Thirty-five percent of [Nigerian] respondents are not managing to pay their household expenses and 17% of people in this affluent and connected society don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” he said.  

Not surprisingly, this macro-economic strain has been affecting consumer buying behaviours.  

In Kenya, for instance, consumers are choosing to buy cheaper soap cut from a large bar in store, rather than buying packaged brands. Kenyans and South Africans are spending less on alcohol and are also looking for products that can be used across various applications – such as a dishwashing product that can be used for clothes washing. 

Price sensitivity is high across the board; reflecting how some consumers use the internet and online sources to check prices and search for better deals before buying. This is reflective of the utilitarian use of the internet by many African consumers.  

You can read more about the 2025 Africa Life report – and much more – in the latest Strategic Marketing for Africa – the voice of African marketing and the official publication of the African Marketing Confederation (AMC). Read Issue 3 2025 online here.  

A Print Edition is also available.