Mpho Mpofu on why Africa is not one market, what 31 African researchers told her for The Qual African, and where AI still falls short in qualitative research.

Mpho Mpofu, founder of Masutane and author of The Qual African, has more than 20 years of experience in qualitative research across Africa.

In this episode, she explains why the idea of “the African market” is too simplistic. Africa spans 54 countries, thousands of languages and very different cultural and consumer contexts.

She also shares insights from interviews with 31 African researchers, discusses the pressure on qualitative research budgets and talent, and explains why AI still struggles with local languages and code-switching.

Episode Highlights:

• Africa is not one market. Local culture, language and consumer behavior vary widely across the continent.
• The Qual African is based on 31 researcher interviews. Their experiences shaped the book’s focus on expertise, authority and legacy.
• Researchers need a stronger voice. Mpofu argues that African market researchers should help interpret and communicate insights, not simply hand over findings.
• Budget cuts affect research quality and talent development. Travel, local protocols and trust-building all require time and investment.
• Global clients should start with fewer assumptions. Co-creating the brief with local researchers can lead to better insights.
• AI can speed up transcription, translation and analysis. But local language, context and code-switching remain major challenges.
• Researchers should help shape AI. Their cultural and linguistic expertise can improve how these tools work.

About the Guest

Mpho Mpofu is the founder of Masutane and author of The Qual African. Based in South Africa, she has more than 20 years of qualitative research experience across Africa.

She began her career at Millward Brown, now Kantar, and has since worked across research, training and entrepreneurship. She also supports junior researchers, works with universities and business incubators, and serves on the SAMRA board.

The Qual African, based on interviews with 31 researchers across the continent, is published in September 2026.