Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing Africa today, with its impacts already being felt across the continent. From rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns to more frequent and severe droughts and floods, climate change threatens the livelihoods of millions of Africans, particularly those in vulnerable communities. As climate-related disruptions continue to exacerbate food insecurity, water scarcity, and health risks, it becomes crucial to understand how Africans perceive these changes and their readiness to adapt.

GeoPoll Climate Change Perception among Africans

At around the same time, nations were starting negotiations about Climate Change action at COP 29 in Baku; GeoPoll was wrapping up data collection for nationwide surveys in Ghana and Uganda to understand public attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors around climate change.

As Africa takes center stage in the climate change conversation, this survey provides valuable cross-sectional information to help policymakers, and organizations better address these challenges and foster resilience. 

Summary

• 93% of the respondents have heard about climate change.
• Social Media (72%) and Television (62%) are the leading source of information for climate change.
• Droughts and water shortage (72%) and Food insecurity due to reduced agricultural yields (58%) are the most significant potential impact of climate change in Africa.
• Extreme heat (40%) and floods (24%) are the most significant potential impacts of climate change on Africa.
• Some people believe that climate change is caused by human activities (78%), while others believe it is a natural process (19%).
• Governments (50%) are the most responsible for addressing climate change in Africa
• Planting trees or participating in environmental initiatives (70%), Reducing waste and recycling (64%) are the top actions to reduce your impact on the environment.

Demographic Overview

The survey collected responses from a diverse group of young Ghanaians and Ugandans. Most respondents were aged 25-34 (50%), with 79% male and 21% female. Most had college degrees (45%).

Key Findings 

Climate Change Awareness

A majority of the respondents 93% agree to be aware of Climate Change affecting the world. 82% stated that they have good understanding of matters climate change.

Source of Information

The top sources of climate change information highlight the blend of digital and traditional channels shaping public awareness. Leading the way, 72% of people turn to social media, which offers rapid access to news, trends, and activist content. Television follows at 62%, delivering a wide reach with news segments and documentaries, while radio, trusted and accessible, informs 45% of people, especially in areas with limited internet access. Newspapers remain a go-to for 33%, indicating a continued appetite for in-depth coverage. Additionally, government campaigns engage 26% of respondents, and friends and family discussions influence 23%, revealing the role of personal connections in spreading awareness about climate issues.

Effects of Climate Change in Africa

When asked if climate change has impacted Africa, a resounding 71% of respondents agree that the effects are significant. Among these, drought and water scarcity stand out as the most visible impact, noted by 72% of respondents. Following closely, 59% highlight food insecurity linked to declining agricultural yields, while 55% point to extreme weather events reshaping communities and landscapes. Economic hardships, cited by 40%, and health issues, noted by 39%, also underscore the sweeping impact on daily life. Other critical concerns include loss of biodiversity and wildlife (34%), rising sea levels and coastal erosion (31%), and even migration from uninhabitable areas (8%), painting a vivid picture of the challenges climate change poses across the continent.

Personal Experience with Climate Change

The study aimed to illustrate the various ways in which individuals’ lives have been impacted by climate change. A significant 66% of respondents indicated that they feel personally affected by this global issue.

Among the specific effects reported, extreme heat emerged as a major concern, with 40% of participants citing it as a significant impact on their daily lives. Additionally, 24% of respondents reported experiencing the adverse effects of flooding, which has disrupted their communities and infrastructure. Food shortages were acknowledged by 20% of those surveyed, highlighting the challenges of maintaining food security in the face of changing climate conditions. Lastly, 12% of respondents expressed concerns about water scarcity, indicating a growing struggle to access this essential resource.

Overall, the findings reveal the tangible and pressing challenges that climate change presents to individuals and communities alike.

Climate change is caused by human activities

When surveyed, some individuals think that human actions are responsible for climate change, while others argue that it is a natural phenomenon or that it doesn’t exist at all. A significant majority, 78%, believe that human activities are the primary cause of climate change. Conversely, 19% deny that climate change is a result of a natural cycle and attribute it to human actions. Meanwhile, 3% are uncertain and require additional information, and 1% do not accept that climate change is occurring.

Action taken by communities

• Reforestation/Tree Planting – The survey indicates that 53% of respondents are actively engaged in tree planting initiatives and are encouraging community members to participate in these efforts. This collective action is aimed at addressing climate change effectively.
• Education and awareness campaigns – 20% are engaged in educational programs and awareness initiatives related to climate change. As social media emerges as the primary source for information, policymakers, NGOs, and organizations have a greater opportunity to utilize these platforms for disseminating climate change information.
• Water conservation measures – 8% of the respondents are taking water conservation measures in order to curb climate change.
• Renewable energy adaptation (8%) – By leveraging solar, wind, hydropower, and other renewable sources, African nations are diversifying their energy mix, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and enhancing energy security.
• Waste reduction and recycling (6%) – According to StopWaste, waste prevention and recycling are important practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions-which are the cause of climate change.

Climate Change Urgency

66% of those surveyed indicate that Climate change needs urgent attention in Africa. For many, the urgency stems from witnessing firsthand the effects of extreme weather patterns, dwindling water resources, and the disruption of livelihoods dependent on agriculture and natural ecosystems.

Furthermore, a notable 89% of participants indicate a desire to expand their knowledge about climate change, demonstrating a broad enthusiasm to grasp the issue and its effects on their lives and communities. This willingness to learn expresses the increasing awareness of climate-related challenges and the understanding that informed people can effect change, whether by adopting sustainable practices or advocating for policy reforms. The inclination to acquire more knowledge also signifies a preparedness to accept new insights, tools, and skills that can assist in both adapting to and addressing climate change.

Methodology/About this Survey 

This Exclusive Survey was run via the GeoPoll mobile application between 2nd October and 12th of November 2024 in Ghana and Uganda. The sample size was 630, composed of random app users between 18 and 45. Since the survey was randomly distributed, the results are slightly skewed towards younger respondents.

Please get in touch with us to get more details about exclusive GeoPoll surveys, conduct a scientific study of climate change, or other topics in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

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The results offer deep insights into Afghanistan’s evolving media landscape and how millions of Afghans consume television, radio, and digital content in 2024, which can help businesses, broadcasters, and organizations understand the audience landscape in this unique market.

Here, we highlight some key findings from the study and provide free access to the report.

Key Findings

Television Remains Dominant

Television continues to be a significant source of information and entertainment, with 67% of Afghan adults watching TV at least monthly. Key findings include:

• Tolo, Tolo News, and Ariana lead terrestrial TV channels.
• Among satellite channels, Afghanistan International dominates with 47% reach, followed by GEM Bollywood at 36%.
• Female viewership notably exceeds male viewership for several major channels.
• Prime time viewing peaks during the 6 PM-10 PM slot
• Politics, sports, and drama are the most-watched programming genres.

Radio’s Continued Relevance

While radio reaches a smaller audience than television, it remains an important medium, with 38% of adult Afghans tuning in monthly, mostly adults over 18. Here are some findings:

• BBC maintains the highest listenership with 27.35% reach.
• Arman and Azadi follow with 20.69% and 19.33% reach respectively.
• Education, news, and politics are the most popular radio programming genres.

Digital Media’s Growing Impact

The digital transformation in Afghanistan is evident through solid engagement with online platforms:

• 60% of Afghans access the internet on an average day.
• 61% use social media platforms daily.
• 28% consume television or video content online.

Digital Platform Preferences:

• YouTube leads video streaming platforms with 69% usage
• Facebook dominates social media with 47% usage, followed by Instagram.
• Emerging platforms like TikTok and Snapchat show growing adoption at 7% each

Download the FREE Report

Want to dive deeper into Afghanistan’s media landscape? Download our comprehensive report to get insights into:

• Media audience universe estimates, with detailed demographic breakdowns.
• Top Terrestrial and Satellite TV Stations by reach and gender, with hour-by-hour audience tracking.
• The most watched TV programme genres.
• Radio station rankings by reach and gender.
• Top radio genres.
• Internet access and usage.
• Top social media platforms
• Top Streaming Video OnDemand (SVOD) platforms.

Fill out this form to get the free report:

Implications for Media Stakeholders

Reliable audience data is crucial for sustaining a functioning media ecosystem, especially in a complex environment like Afghanistan. The GeoPoll Media Viewership Survey provides broadcasters, advertisers, and organizations with insights to optimize programming, allocate resources effectively, and understand what content resonates most with the public.

For example, the data suggests a multi-platform approach may be practical, combining traditional broadcast media with digital channels to maximize reach.

Overall, despite ongoing challenges, Afghanistan maintains a diverse and active media ecosystem, with audiences engaging across traditional and digital platforms. This further points to the continuing importance of media in Afghan society and its role in keeping the population informed and connected.

To learn more about this study and our work in Afghanistan and across the world, please contact us.

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During health crises, it is crucial for the global health agencies non-governmental organizations, governments, and national health bodies to play a vital role in combating misinformation. To enhance these efforts, they should prioritize proactive communication and utilize data intelligently.

Proactive, Transparent Communication

To effectively combat misinformation, it’s crucial to communicate clearly, consistently, and in a timely manner. Health organizations should provide the public with reliable and easily understandable information through various channels, such as social media, SMS alerts, and local and national media outlets.

GeoPoll data revealed that many people in sub-Saharan Africa turned to social media for news updates, but often encountered conflicting or false information. To address this, global health agencies should use social media platforms alongside other media outlets to flag or remove harmful content and amplify verified information.

Leveraging Data for Targeted Interventions

Health organizations can customize their messaging by examining data to target particular worries or misunderstandings within vulnerable populations or the public in general.

GeoPoll’s insights from mobile surveys and real-time data collection can be instrumental in identifying misinformation trends and understanding public sentiment in specific regions.

For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll found that communities with lower access to healthcare or education were more likely to believe in rumors about COVID-19 vaccines. The study showed that less than half the respondents (48%) believe they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Persistent rumors around the vaccine have clearly degraded peoples’ confidence in the information available to them and demonstrate the importance of stakeholders battling misinformation around vaccines.

Track Misinformation

Identifying the spread of misinformation in healthcare is essential for health organizations and policymakers. It allows them to monitor the sources of false information, track the exposure of the audience, and adjust their communication strategies accordingly.

GeoPoll Audience Measurement is an effective solution for monitoring media consumption habits and gaining insights into the dissemination of information across different channels. Through the use of real-time data collection, GeoPoll offers valuable understanding of audience behavior, media reach, and content interaction.

Future Approaches to Health Misinformation

In order to combat misinformation effectively, it is essential to make ongoing investments in technology and local expertise. GeoPoll’s mobile survey tools and real-time data collection provide valuable resources for monitoring public opinion and misinformation trends in developing regions. By integrating these tools with the health decision makers, extensive global health knowledge, organizations can enhance their ability to respond to health crises with accuracy and cultural awareness.

The cost of misinformation in the health sector is far too high to ignore, and only through collaborative efforts can we ensure that accurate information prevails during future health crises.

GeoPoll’s contribution to Health care and information

GeoPoll has made significant contributions to healthcare and information dissemination, particularly in emerging markets. By leveraging mobile technology, GeoPoll conducts large-scale surveys that provide real-time data on health trends, disease outbreaks, and public health behaviors. This information helps governments, NGOs, and healthcare organizations make informed decisions and implement targeted interventions.

Examples of GeoPoll’s Health Related Survey and report include

• GeoPoll conducted a remote study in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to understand the effects of COVID-19 on the region, revealing broad-reaching implications across all sectors. The study assessed how people were protecting themselves against the virus, including measures such as social distancing, handwashing, and respiratory hygiene. Less than half the respondents (48%) believe they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Persistent rumors around the vaccine have clearly degraded peoples’ confidence in the information available to them and demonstrate the importance of stakeholders battling misinformation around vaccines.

• Mpox Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo: GeoPoll conducted a nationwide survey in the DRC to assess public awareness and concern about the mpox outbreak. Respondents’ primary sources of information about the mpox outbreak include social media (65%), TV (45%), radio (36%), and word of mouth (32%). Social media remains the most used source across gender and age groups. The most trusted source for information about mpox, however, is healthcare workers (52%). TV (37%), Radio (30%), and newspapers (24%) are also considered more trustworthy as a source than social media (23%).
• Zambia Cholera Outbreak: To assess public awareness and concern about the cholera outbreak, GeoPoll conducted a nationwide survey in Zambia using its proprietary Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) application. The survey findings revealed that less than a quarter of respondents have heard about cholera cases in their community or neighborhood (22%). That proportion increases to 43% in Lusaka where the outbreak was first reported and that remains the most-affected province. Conversely, only 5% of respondents from Muchinga say they have heard about cholera cases in their community.
• Parent Perceptions of the Malaria Vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa: To explore parents’ perceptions of the new and potentially revolutionary malaria vaccine, GeoPoll conducted an SMS mobile phone-based survey in February 2022 in several high-burden malaria countries: three from the original vaccine trial (Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi), as well as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Mozambique. Although more than 30 million African children under the age of five suffer from vaccine-preventable diseases every year, and half a million die, only 81% of parents in our study “strongly agree” with the statement that vaccines benefit their child’s health. That number drops down to 75% in Malawi and 67% in Ghana. Parents in Mozambique are the most likely to strongly agree with the statement at 91%.

• Ebola in DRC: As international aid organizations enacted plans to slow the spread of Ebola in DRC and mitigate its long-term effects, GeoPoll released the results of an SMS survey conducted with 483 people on-the-ground in the North Kivu province, including over 300 individuals in the city of Goma. The study showed that public places are seen as the highest risk areas for exposure to Ebola, with 41% stating public transport posed the biggest risk to exposure and 39% stating general public places were the biggest risk. 86% reported that they knew how to prevent themselves from contracting Ebola.

Contact us to learn more about how GeoPoll collects real-time health information to help governments, communities, donors, and implementing partners identify critical issues in health crises and health service delivery, strengthen health systems, refine social and behavior change (SBC) messaging, and respond to global health security threats.

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Plan International’s adjoining #UniteForPeace global campaign, launching for International Day of the Girl, calls for action across the research recommendations and seeks to mobilize the public and decision-makers to stand in solidarity with girls and all young people living in conflict.

Methodology

GeoPoll was proud to partner with Plan International in this important initiative, contributing to the collection of data that underpins the report’s findings. Using primarily our computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) capabilities and mobile surveys, we reached over 10,000 young people living in conflict areas across nine countries: Cameroon, Colombia, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Philippines.

The research combined Plan International’s expertise and in-depth qualitative interviews among youth with GeoPoll’s quantitative surveys, capturing the statistics and the personal stories that reveal the day-to-day realities for girls, boys, young women, and young men in conflict zones.

Findings

The results are both heartbreaking and an urgent call to action:

• Girls and young women face a gauntlet of increased risks, from sexual violence to forced early marriage to the associated emotional distress.
• Boys and young men grapple with the threat of conscription into armed groups.
• Despite it all, these young people still dare to dream of peace and a brighter future and supporting them is critical.

The impact of Plan International’s report extends far beyond awareness. It serves as a clarion call for:

• Immediate ceasefires and renewed peace efforts.
• An end to violations against children in conflict zones.
• Gender-sensitive approaches to humanitarian aid and education.
• Increased psychosocial support for conflict-affected youth.

Read the Still We Dream report

We encourage you to read the full report and delve into the stories, data, and recommendations that can shape an international approach to supporting youth in conflict zones.

Read Still We Dream: Girls and Young People Living Through Conflict and join Plan International’s #UniteForPeace campaign here: https://plan-international.org/publications/still-we-dream

About GeoPoll

GeoPoll provides full-service research solutions in over 120 countries globally, focusing on low- and middle-income countries. Every year, GeoPoll completes more than 5 million surveys via multiple mobile-based remote and in-person data collection modes, powered by a network of 10,000+ interviewers from 65 call centers, local teams, and direct partnerships with mobile network operators. Contact us to learn more about this project and our capabilities. 

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As the global health community springs into action to support the DRC’s government-led response, GeoPoll conducted a nationwide survey in the DRC to assess public awareness and concern about the mpox outbreak. The remote mobile phone-based survey addressed a number of topics related to the outbreak, including:

• Awareness of the mpox outbreak in the DRC
• Understanding of mpox transmission and symptoms
• Household and community mpox experience and risk
• Awareness of the mpox vaccine
• Intent to vaccinate for mpox and reasons for hesitancy
• Sources of mpox and public health information
• Assessment of the government’s reaction to the outbreak

Findings from the survey show that almost all respondents are aware of the current mpox outbreak in the DRC (92%), primarily hearing about it through social media. Most are also familiar with the symptoms and recommended prevention measures for the disease.

Vaccination presents a different story, however, with only 39% of respondents aware that an mpox vaccine is available, and only 35% likely to get the vaccine if it is. The primary drivers of hesitancy include uncertainty about the vaccine’s effectiveness, lack of knowledge/awareness, and potential health risks. Distrust of health facilities also presents an obstacle.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report on the mpox outbreak in the DRC or scroll down to view the survey data in the interactive dashboard.

Interactive Data Dashboard

Dive deeper into GeoPoll’s data on the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo using the interactive dashboard below. The dashboard provides responses to each question in the survey, filterable by gender, age group, and province.

Collect Data During Humanitarian Crisis with GeoPoll

GeoPoll is a full-service market and social research agency that conducts surveys via computer- assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), short message service (SMS), WhatsApp, and mobile web/mobile application communications. We also conduct online and offline qualitative research.

GeoPoll regularly conducts international development and humanitarian aid research for United Nations agencies, NGOs, governments, humanitarian groups and other stakeholders in the development and relief sectors.

In times of crisis, GeoPoll’s mobile surveys can reach aid beneficiaries and vulnerable populations to collect vital data on food security, disaster relief, and more. Our remote research capabilities and innovative technology platform allow GeoPoll to survey communities that are inaccessible following natural disasters, conflict, or disease outbreaks, enabling organizations to gather on-the-ground insights in real-time and disseminate information quickly and safely.

For more information about GeoPoll and this report, contact us today.

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GeoPoll, alongside Kantar, Integrate, Analysis, and other partners, conducted extensive surveys across more than 30 countries to assess the most admired brands. The results of the 14th edition were announced in May, with country announcements ongoing. Last week, the results for Uganda were announced, and we are happy to share the results. 

The findings unveiled a surprising revelation: while 86% of consumers admire African brands, only 14% of the most admired brands are actually manufactured in Africa.  

Similarly, the survey indicated that 65% of Ugandans have confidence in local brands, demonstrating a high level of trust and support for products and services made in Uganda. However, only 35% of respondents reported actively consuming these local brands. This significant gap between confidence and consumption highlights the larger obstacles that African brands encounter throughout the continent. 

The ceremony took place at Fontis Residence Hotel in Kampala, saw Thebe Ikalafeng, Chairman of Brand Africa, and Publics Africa Communications present awards to the most admirable Ugandan brands. 

Uganda’s Most Admired Brands   

Most Admired Consumer, Non-cyclical Brands 

Most Admired Personal Care Brands 

Most Admired Alcoholic Beverages Brands 

Most Admired Non-Alcoholic Beverages Brands 

Most Admired Telecommunication Brands 

Most Admired Electronics/Computers Brands 

Most Admired Apparel Brands 

 Most Admired Auto-Manufacturers Brands 

Most Admired Sports and Fitness Brands   

Most Admired Technology 

Most Admired Financial Services Brands 

Most Admired Media Brands 

Most Admired Doing Good for Society, Environment and People   

Most Admired African Brands 

Country Contributing to a Better Africa 

Most Admired Brand in Ugandan 

Most Admired Ugandan Brand 

At the ceremony, Ms. Doreen Silver Katusiime, the Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, emphasized the significance of the awards in relation to Uganda’s goal of promoting local content and fostering sustainable economic development. She stated, “Uganda takes great pride in hosting the Brand Africa 100 Awards, an event that deeply resonates with our vision of nurturing local talent and driving sustainable economic growth. The acknowledgement of these brands today extends beyond mere celebration of success; it serves as an inspiration for future generations of African entrepreneurs to strive for excellence and contribute to the ongoing prosperity of the continent.” 

Performance of African Brands 

African brands have retained a 14% share of Top 100 most admired brands in Africa for the second year in a row. African brands, led by South African telecommunications group, MTN, Nigerian conglomerate, Dangote, South African media group, DStv are among the overall most admired brands across the continent. Click here to get the full Top 100 most admired brands in Africa 

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This performance gap isn’t due to any inherent limitation of AI technology. Instead, it’s a direct result of the data used to train these models. The majority of AI systems are developed using datasets that predominantly represent Western contexts, leading to models that excel in these environments but falter when faced with the diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic landscapes of emerging markets.

This article explores how integrating diverse, region-specific data can dramatically improve AI applications in emerging markets, using Africa as a compelling case study. As the topic unrolls, we’ll unroll why AI models need locally relevant data, how this data can be ethically sourced and integrated, and the transformative impact it can have on AI performance.

Before you continue…

GeoPoll is conducting a comparative study of AI-simulated surveys and traditional CATI in Kenya. The study, whose paper will be out in a couple of weeks, is investigating the effectiveness, efficiency, and data quality generated by AI models compared to traditional human-led surveys. We want to ascertain if AI-simulated surveys can provide data as reliable and nuanced as traditional respondent surveys, how AI models simulate human-like survey responses when controlled for demographics, and the differences in response rates, data consistency, and cost efficiency between AI-driven and human-led surveys. The survey itself explores various real aspects such as nutrition and food security, media consumption and internet usage, eCommerce, AI usage and opinions, and attitudes towards humanitarian aid in the country. 

If you are an expert in AI/research and would like to contribute to the study, a business or social leader interested in the report, or anyone who wants to get front-seat access to both the paper and the underlying report, please fill this form or subscribe to our newsletter to get the reports to your email.

The Global AI Performance Gap

The disparity in AI performance between developed and emerging markets is a concern in the tech industry. This gap manifests in various ways:

1. Language Processing: Many AI models struggle with languages and dialects prevalent in emerging markets. For instance, a model trained primarily in English may falter when processing Swahili or colloquial Arabic. Even the English accents vary from country to country – Nigerians speak English in a different way from South Africans, who speak differently from Americans.
2. Cultural Context: AI systems often misinterpret cultural nuances, idioms, and social norms unique to emerging markets, which leads to inappropriate or ineffective responses.
3. Economic Disparities: Models trained on data from high-income countries may make incorrect assumptions about spending patterns, access to resources, or financial behaviors in emerging economies.
4. Technological Infrastructure: AI applications designed for high-speed internet and advanced devices may underperform in regions with limited connectivity or older technology.
5. Diverse Data Representation: The lack of diverse training data leads to biased outcomes, potentially reinforcing stereotypes or excluding minority groups within emerging markets.

This performance gap has real-world consequences. In healthcare, it could mean misdiagnoses or ineffective treatment recommendations. In finance, it might result in unfair loan rejections or inaccurate credit scoring. In education, it could lead to curriculum recommendations that don’t align with local educational standards or cultural values. In marketing, you might have seen distorted AI-generated images of people from some regions of the world.

The root cause of this disparity lies in the data used to train these AI models. Datasets predominantly sourced from Western countries fail to capture the complexity and diversity of emerging markets. This data bias creates a self-perpetuating cycle: AI systems perform poorly in these markets, leading to less adoption and fewer opportunities to gather relevant data, further widening the performance gap.

Addressing this issue is not just a matter of fairness; it’s a business imperative. As emerging markets continue to grow and play increasingly significant roles in the global economy, the need for AI systems that can effectively operate in these diverse contexts becomes crucial for companies looking to expand their reach and impact.

The Importance of Local Context in AI

To truly understand why local context is crucial for AI performance, we need to delve into the nature of AI systems and how they learn:

1. Data-Driven Learning: AI models, particularly machine learning and deep learning systems, learn from the data they’re trained on. They identify patterns, correlations, and rules based on this data. If the training data lacks diversity or local context, the resulting model will have blind spots and biases.
2. Contextual Understanding: Language, behavior, and decision-making are deeply rooted in cultural and socioeconomic contexts. An AI model needs exposure to these contexts to accurately interpret and respond to inputs from diverse user bases.
3. Avoiding Misinterpretation: Without local context, AI systems may misinterpret user inputs or produce inappropriate outputs. For example, a chatbot trained on Western data might not understand the nuances of politeness in Asian cultures, leading to perceived rudeness or miscommunication.
4. Relevance of Recommendation: In applications like e-commerce or content recommendation, understanding local preferences, trends, and availability is crucial for providing relevant suggestions to users.
5. Ethical Considerations: AI systems that lack local context may inadvertently perpetuate biases or make decisions that are unethical or unfair when applied to different cultural settings.
6. Regulatory Compliance: Different regions have varying regulations around data privacy, financial practices, and other areas where AI is applied. Models need to be trained on locally relevant data to ensure compliance with these regulations.

Incorporating local context into AI models isn’t just about improving performance metrics; it’s about creating systems that are truly useful and trustworthy for users in emerging markets. This approach leads to:

• Improved User Experience: AI applications that understand local context provide more accurate, relevant, and culturally appropriate responses, enhancing user satisfaction and adoption.
• Increased Efficiency: Locally-aware AI systems can streamline processes and decision-making in ways that are optimized for the specific market, leading to greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Innovation Opportunities: Understanding local contexts can show unique use cases and innovative applications of AI that may not be apparent when viewing the market through a Western-centric lens.
• Social Impact: Accurately serving the needs of emerging markets makes AI a powerful tool for addressing local challenges in areas like healthcare, education, and financial inclusion.

The key to achieving these benefits lies in sourcing high-quality, diverse data that accurately represents the target markets. This is where companies like GeoPoll play a crucial role, providing the essential local context that can transform AI performance in emerging markets.

AI in Africa

Africa serves as a compelling example of both the challenges and opportunities in adapting AI for emerging markets. With its diverse languages, cultures, and economic conditions, the continent presents a unique landscape for AI development and deployment.

Challenges:

1. Linguistic Diversity: Africa is home to over 3,000 languages. Many AI models struggle with this linguistic complexity, especially with languages with limited digital presence. The accents are diverse even in global languages such as English, French, and Arabic, which are widely spoken in Africa.
2. Infrastructure Limitations: Varying levels of internet connectivity and device access across the continent pose challenges for AI applications designed for high-bandwidth environments.
3. Economic Disparities: The wide range of economic conditions across and within African countries requires AI models to be adaptable to different socioeconomic contexts.
4. Data Scarcity: There’s a general lack of large-scale, quality datasets representing African users, which has historically limited the development of locally relevant AI models.

Opportunities and Success Stories:

Despite these challenges, there are promising developments in AI across Africa:

1. Natural Language Processing (NLP): Projects like Lelapa and Masakhane are working on developing NLP models for African languages, improving machine translation and text analysis capabilities.
2. Healthcare: AI is being used to enhance diagnostic capabilities in resource-limited settings. For example, a model trained on local data has shown promise in diagnosing malaria from smartphone images of blood samples.
3. Agriculture: AI-powered apps are helping farmers predict weather patterns, detect crop diseases, and optimize resource use, contributing to food security efforts.
4. Financial Inclusion: AI models adapted to local economic behaviors are improving credit scoring systems, enabling more accurate risk assessment for individuals without traditional credit histories.
5. Education: Adaptive learning platforms using AI are being developed to cater to diverse educational needs across the continent, considering local curricula and learning styles.

There exists a huge transformative potential of AI when powered by contextually rich, local data. They also highlight the immense value that companies like GeoPoll can provide by offering access to diverse, high-quality datasets from across the African continent.

As AI continues to evolve and expand in Africa, the integration of local context through relevant data will be crucial in creating systems that truly serve and empower African users, bridging the global AI performance gap.

GeoPoll’s Role in Bridging the Gap

GeoPoll stands at the forefront of addressing the AI performance gap in emerging markets, particularly in Africa. With its extensive experience in conducting surveys and collecting data across diverse populations, GeoPoll is uniquely positioned to provide the critical ingredient for improving AI performance: high-quality, locally relevant data.

Key Contributions:

1. Diverse Data Collection: GeoPoll’s methodologies allow for the collection of data from a wide range of demographics, including hard-to-reach populations. This ensures that AI models trained on this data are truly representative of the target markets.
2. 1 million hours of African voice recordings – GeoPoll holds an unmatched database of authentic African voice recordings from our surveys. We have over a million hours of voice recordings, in over 40 languages from all African countries. Combined with transcripts and possible translations, this is an invaluable asset from anyone looking to train LLMs based on African languages.
3. Multi-Modal Data: GeoPoll collects data through various channels, including voice, SMS, and online surveys. This multi-modal approach captures a more comprehensive picture of user behaviors and preferences.
4. Real-Time Insights: The company’s ability to gather real-time data allows for the creation of AI models that can adapt to rapidly changing market conditions and consumer behaviors.
5. Ethical Data Practices: GeoPoll adheres to strict ethical standards in data collection, ensuring that the data used for AI training respects privacy and consent, crucial for building trust in AI systems.
6. Local Expertise: With teams on the ground in many African countries, GeoPoll brings invaluable local knowledge to the data collection process, ensuring cultural nuances are properly captured.

Impact on AI Development:

By leveraging GeoPoll’s data, AI developers can:

1. Improve Language Models: Train NLP models on real-world usage of local languages and dialects, improving translation, sentiment analysis, and chatbot performance.
2. Enhance Predictive Analytics: Develop more accurate predictive models for consumer behavior, market trends, and economic indicators in emerging markets.
3. Refine Recommendation Systems: Create more relevant and culturally appropriate recommendation algorithms for e-commerce, content delivery, and personalized services.
4. Optimize Decision-Making AI: Improve the accuracy of AI-driven decision-making tools in areas that define the day-to-day activities of Africans, as well as business decisions.

The Bottomline

The global AI landscape is at a pivotal juncture. As we’ve explored throughout this article, the performance gap between AI systems in developed markets and emerging economies is not just a technological challenge – it’s an opportunity for innovation, inclusion, and impactful change.

The key to bridging this gap lies in recognizing the paramount importance of local context. AI systems, no matter how advanced, can only be as good as the data they’re trained on. In the diverse, complex environments of emerging markets like Africa, this means going beyond surface-level data collection to truly understand the nuances of language, culture, economic conditions, and social dynamics.

GeoPoll, with our extensive experience and innovative methodologies in data collection across emerging markets, is a crucial partner in this endeavor. We can provide rich, locally relevant datasets to enable the development of AI systems that don’t just work in these markets – they thrive, offering solutions tailored to local needs and challenges.

Learn more about GeoPoll AI Data Streams and voice recordings. Contact us to discuss how our data can slot into your AI project.

The post Closing the Gap: How Local Context Improves AI Performance in Emerging Regions appeared first on GeoPoll.

Following the Closing Ceremony on 11 August, 2024, GeoPoll and mediaReach OMD reached out to respondents in Ghana and Nigeria again to explore how their actual viewership of the games compared to their pre-Olympics’ interest and intentions. The follow-up survey also assessed respondents’ intention to watch the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. This post details findings from the follow-up survey.

Viewership of the Paris 2024 Olympics

In the Pre-Olympics Survey, 97% of respondents in Nigeria and 92% of respondents in Ghana said they intended to watch the 2024 Paris Olympics. Although dropping slightly, the percentage of respondents that said they did watch the games remains exceptionally high. Almost all respondents in Nigeria claim to have watched (95%) along with 86% of respondents in Ghana.

The slight decrease in actual viewership versus intent may be partially explained by the fact that a majority of respondents said there were major happenings or news that affected their viewership of the games.

Across countries, the events respondents were most interested in watching include football, athletics, basketball, swimming, and boxing. Football was by far the most popular event in Nigeria (51%) while Athletics was the most popular in Ghana (49%).

The fanfare of the Opening Ceremony drew a majority share of respondents in both Ghana (50%) and Nigeria (62%). An even larger share tuned in to watch their preferred games or events (72% in Ghana and 63% in Nigeria).

When it comes to following their favorite events, respondents are much more likely to watch the entire event than to just tune in for the quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, and/or medal ceremony.

Interest in the games goes beyond borders. Respondents in Ghana and Nigeria were just as likely if not more likely to watch or follow games or events that athletes from other countries were partaking in than events with athletes from their own country.

With the United States topping the gold and overall medal count, it follows that the majority of respondents watched games or events involving US athletes. Excitement around the gold medal match in men’s football between Spain and France, the men’s basketball final between the US and France, the women’s football final between the US and Brazil, and the women’s football bronze medal match between Germany and Spain help to explain the large number of respondents that watched events involving those countries.

Media Consumption Habits

TV was the device of choice for watching the games, followed by mobile phone. Watching via mobile phone was particularly popular in Nigeria (68%). The top three platforms for watching the games in Nigeria were DStv (51%), streaming sites (51%), and GOtv (44%). In Ghana, the top three platforms were DStv (46%), streaming sites (44%), and terrestrial television stations (40%).

Respondents primarily watched the games live on TV rather than catching up via replays or news highlights.

In terms of setting, most respondents watched the games…

Viewership increased throughout the day, with the highest percentage of respondents watching in the evenings from 6pm to 11pm.

Olympics Sports Betting

Betting on the Olympics primarily followed expectations leading up to the games. In the Pre-Olympic Wurvey, 42% of respondents in Ghana said they expected to participate in betting. After the games, 45% said that they did participate. In Nigeria, 61% expected to bet compared to 59% that actually did.

The most popular betting platforms in Ghana were SportyBet (63%), Betway (18%), and 1XBET (8%). In Nigeria the most popular platforms were Bet9ja (35%), SportyBet (28%), BetKing (11%), and 1XBET (11%).

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games were held from 28 August to 8 September. Prior to the games, most respondents in Ghana were aware that Ghana would be participating in the games (75%). Awareness climbed to 83% in Nigeria. The majority of respondents in both countries said they were at least somewhat likely to follow the games.

Los Angeles 2028 Olympics

Looking ahead, 72% of respondents in Ghana and 67% of respondents in Nigeria said they are likely to watch or follow the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Disappointment in their team’s success in Paris, particularly for fans in Nigeria, is likely dampening excitement for Los Angeles. When asked if their likelihood to watch the 2028 Olympics would change if there was a good representation of Ghanaian/Nigerian athletes, 66% of respondents in Ghana and 79% in Nigeria said that it would.

In addition to wanting to see a good representation of local athletes, almost all respondents said they would like to see more local brands associate with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Olympics Fan Experiences

Fans have always played a vital role in sport, and when it comes to the Olympics, the shared experiences of fans help bring together entire nations in support of their athletes. While fan experiences have traditionally revolved around the live event and arena of the games, fan experiences today can be both physical and digital, extending beyond the borders of the host country into the homes, bars, screens, and public spaces of participating countries around the world.

In our study, we asked respondents how interested they would be in attending official Olympics fan experiences for the 2028 Olympics in their home city, such as public viewings, interactive exhibits, athlete meet-and-greets, etc.

In both Ghana and Nigeria, most rate their interest in fan experiences as either very interested or extremely interested.

About This Survey

GeoPoll conducted this survey, in collaboration with mediaReach OMD, using its proprietary mobile web research platform. The survey reached 1,176 respondents, leveraging the OMD Consumer Intelligence (OCI) panel in Ghana and Nigeria.

Data collection occurred from 21-27 August, 2024.

The diverse sample for the study includes a gender composition of 73% male and 36% female, and an age breakdown of 8% ages 18-24, 53% ages 25-34, and 40% ages 35 and older.

For more information on the sample and methodology for this study or to conduct a research study of your own in Africa or around the world, contact GeoPoll today.

For more information about mediaReach OMD and its services, please visit www.mediareachomd.com.

To view the detailed report with findings and insights gathered prior to the 2024 Paris Olympics, please visit the OMD Consumer Intelligence Platform or download the report here: https://www.mediareachomd.com/olympicsreport

The post GeoPoll Paris 2024 Post-Olympics Survey appeared first on GeoPoll.

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GeoPoll is currently conducting a study on mpox in the DRC and are ready to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies, public health authorities, and other stakeholders interested in leveraging data to inform their mpox response. Reach out to learn more about the research, or subscribe to get the report when it’s out. 

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In this article, we explore how real-time data collection can inform the international community’s response to mpox, drawing lessons from past projects that have shaped health strategies across Africa.

Real-Time Disease Tracking and the Power of the Mobile Phone:

Mobile phones have revolutionized how public health crises are tracked and managed, particularly in remote areas and in the case of infectious diseases. Mobile-based research across multiple modes is fast, safe, and inclusive, given mobile penetration, and the results can be accessed in real-time via dashboards.

For instance, during the Ebola crisis in West Africa and the COVID-19 pandemic, mobile-based surveys played a vital role in tracking the spread of disease and assessing public attitudes towards interventions. Throughout 2020 and 2021, GeoPoll conducted multiple surveys in several countries to assess the impact of COVID-19 through phone-based surveys that captured essential real-time data on essential aspects such as infections, humanitarian relief access, food security, and others. Similarly, we have deployed mobile surveys in the various ebola outbreaks in the DRC, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to measure prevalence and socio-economic impact.

For mpox, similar mobile-based data collection tools can track public perceptions, identify emerging hotspots, and ensure that interventions are responsive to the evolving nature of the outbreak. However, addressing the digital divide is crucial; in some regions, limited internet connectivity may skew survey results. To combat this, GeoPoll employs a multi-modal approach, combining SMS, voice calls, and online surveys to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Vaccine Hesitancy

The WHO and the CDC have already approved some vaccines for mpox. Pharmaceutical companies continue to play a pivotal role in developing vaccines and treatments for mpox. By leveraging data, they can prioritize research and development, optimize vaccine distribution, monitor vaccine efficacy and safety, and collaborate with public health agencies to develop effective public health messaging and support disease surveillance efforts.

However, history tells us that vaccine hesitancy has been a major challenge in responding to past pandemics in Africa, and it will likely be a significant barrier to controlling the spread of mpox. Understanding the factors driving vaccine hesitancy is essential for pharmaceutical companies and public health organizations to design targeted campaigns that encourage vaccine uptake. A study published in The Lancet highlighted the complexity of vaccine hesitancy in Africa, noting that factors such as mistrust in government, concerns about vaccine safety, and religious beliefs all play significant roles.

GeoPoll’s previous work on vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical differences between rural and urban populations in West and East Africa. For instance, in a survey we conducted in Nigeria, insights on public sentiment towards vaccination revealed that younger populations in urban areas were more accepting of vaccines, while rural communities exhibited higher levels of distrust. These findings allowed public health organizations to create tailored messaging campaigns aimed at building trust in rural communities. Similarly, we were involved in collecting public opinion data during the Ebola crisis in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which helped identify key concerns that were preventing individuals from participating in public health initiatives. These insights were used to refine outreach strategies that successfully boosted participation in health campaigns.

In the case of mpox, understanding the underlying concerns that fuel vaccine hesitancy—whether they are rooted in misinformation, political dynamics, or cultural beliefs—can empower pharmaceutical companies to develop interventions that resonate with specific populations and drive higher vaccine acceptance.

Regional and Demographic Insights to tailor Pharma’s mpox Response

Africa’s geographical and demographic diversity necessitates a granular understanding of how mpox is impacting different regions and populations. This necessitates widespread research across the multiple countries that are either experiencing mpox or at risk. Cultural and linguistic differences may be quite diverse even in a single country. Public health interventions that fail to account for these nuances risk leaving vulnerable populations behind. Such data allows public and private sector stakeholders to prioritize resources and develop interventions customized to these populations’ needs.

During the ongoing mpox outbreak, similar insights are needed to help pharmaceutical companies and governments identify which regions are most affected, which populations are at highest risk, and how best to deploy limited resources. Mobile data collection offers a practical and efficient way to gather these insights, ensuring that interventions are data-driven and focused on those who need them most.

Public Health Messaging on Mpox and Behavioral Change

Effective public health messaging is crucial for managing the spread of diseases like mpox. Distributing vaccines is not enough; clear, targeted messaging that addresses public concerns and encourages healthy behaviors is equally important. This requires data-driven insights into how different communities perceive the disease and what motivates them to act.

One way is to leverage audience data to understand the best way to reach the various population segments. In the mpox hotspot, the DRC, GeoPoll, recently released a significant report on the media and audience landscape in the country. Such existing reports can be a quick way to plan message distribution. The other way is using mobile to test messaging concepts before launching a campaign. These insights were instrumental in adjusting the tone and content of messaging to better resonate with different population segments, thereby increasing compliance with public health directives. Ultimately, mobile surveys can be deployed to measure the impact of the messaging on public perceptions and behavioral change.

In the context of mpox, pharmaceutical companies, NGOs, and health authorities can leverage similar approaches to refine their messaging campaigns, ensuring they are both culturally relevant and effective at driving behavior change. Health organizations can increase public engagement with vaccination efforts and other preventive measures by tailoring public health messages based on real-time data.

The Bottom Line

As the mpox outbreak continues to evolve, pharmaceutical companies and public health organizations need real-time data to guide their interventions.

GeoPoll is committed to supporting pharmaceutical companies, health organizations, NGOs, and governments in their fight against mpox and future health challenges. Together, we can use data to inform targeted interventions, mitigate the impact of public health crises, and build more resilient health systems for the future. Our mobile-based surveys offer a unique and tried-and-tested way to gather insights on disease spread, public perception, and vaccine hesitancy, especially in under-resourced regions.

Contact us to learn how our research can support your efforts to control the outbreak and protect vulnerable populations.

The post Mpox in Africa: Leveraging Mobile-Based Surveys to Inform Pharma’s Response and Public Health Strategies appeared first on GeoPoll.

The opening remarks were given by Gina Din-Kariuki, Chairperson of Brand Leadership Group and Founder & Chairperson of Gina Din Group, along with H.E. Peter Maddens, Ambassador of Belgium. Both speakers emphasized the significance of local brands in influencing the future of Kenya and the world. 

The Master of Ceremony, Thebe Ikalafeng, who is the Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa, shared insights about the Brand Africa 100 journey. He discussed how different countries across Africa perceive their brands. Later, he invited GeoPoll’s Senior Manager of Marketing and Outreach, Frankline Kibuacha, and Daniel Osema, MD of Kantar East Africa, to the stage. They shared details about the extensive surveys, which involved over 300,000 data points from more than 30 African countries. 

Key Data Points 

• 30+ countries in all 5 regions representing 80% of the continent’s population, collectively account for 85% of Africa’s GDP 

• 15000+ individuals over 18 years old. 

• Over 300,000 brand mentions and 3,000 unique brands. 

• Between 2011 and 2021, on average, only 20% of the most admired brands in Africa are made in Africa. 

• Africans (64%) believe in Africa, but not loyal to African brands (14%) 

Kenya’s Most Admired Brands  

Most Admired Consumer, Non-cyclical Brands 

Most Admired Retail Brands 

Most Admired Personal Care Brands 

Most Admired Alcoholic Beverages Brands 

Most Admired Non-Alcoholic Beverages Brands 

Most Admired Telecommunications Brands 

Most Admired Electronics/Computers Brands 

Most Admired Auto-Manufacturers Brands 

Most Admired Sports and Fitness Brands 

Most Admired Technology Brands 

Most Admired Financial Services Brands 

Most Admired Media Brands 

Most Admired Doing Good for Society, Environment and People 

Outstanding Awards 

• Africa Brand Leadership Excellence Award 

Dr. Abbas Gullet, the Chief Executive Officer of Boma Panafrican Ltd, and former Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society received the prestigious Africa Brand Leadership Excellence Award, acknowledging his exceptional contributions and impactful leadership across the continent. 

• Africa Brand Leadership Awards 

Absa Kenya and its CEO Abdi Mohamed won the prestigious 2024 Africa Brand Leadership Awards, recognized for excellence in brand building and leadership.

• Most Admired NGO/UN Doing Good for Society, Environment, and People Brand 

UNICEF Kenya received the Brand Africa award for the Most Admired NGO/UN Doing Good for Society, Environment, and People Brand in Kenya. They were recognized for their commitment to children’s rights and well-being across the country and beyond.    

The 2024 Brand Africa 

African brands have retained a 14% share of Top 100 most admired brands in Africa for the second year in a row. African brands, led by South African telecommunications group, MTN, Nigerian conglomerate, Dangote, Zambian consumer group, Trade Kings, Nigerian telecommunications group, Glo, South African media group, DStv and Ethiopian Airlines retain their respective positions as the Top 5 most admired African brands spontaneously recalled. Get the full top 100 brands in Africa. 

“Brand admiration is the most desired state of a brand’s health. Building, strengthening and leveraging it is the most important objective of branding.” – Park, MacInnis and Eisingerich, Building a Business People Love 

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