A tough day at the office? Eric Msombo’s is probably harder

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More and more international companies are expanding into Africa, as investors seek to tap into the continent’s potential. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is just one of many countries attracting interest because – even though it is marred by political and economic instability – it has extensive natural resource and mineral wealth.

With prospective companies eager for better information about, and insight into, the country’s population, market research firm Sagaci Research extended its operations into DRC, with Eric Msombo working as one of its project managers. His remit covers the north-eastern part of the country and, despite being plagued by civil war for more than 12 years, the area remains a dynamic and interesting region, with clients keen for a better understanding of it. 

Msombo has worked with Sagaci Research for almost a year and has handled numerous projects, including ones for an international consumer goods company, a mobile operator and a non-governmental organisation (NGO). His primary role is to organise projects, with the help of his two field coordinators, and to oversee the eight field agents in his region. 

DRC’s society is very male chauvinist, making it particularly difficult for female market researchers. However, Msombo has five women working for him, although the projects they are assigned tend to be very specific and in the safest regions.

His daily routine involves communicating with the team, giving guidance and feedback to field agents every morning before they set out, and training agents on new projects and on tablet use.

CAPI interviews are the commonest method of market research, so keeping his field agents fully trained and at ease using the questionnaires is a key role for Msombo.

He is on the road at least twice a week, visiting his field agents, and the logistics of travelling around a war-torn region can make life difficult. DRC’s road network is poor, damaged by the civil war and subsequent neglect – and when it rains, the highways are often rendered impassable. 

In addition to his land-based travel, Msombo has to journey between two of the major cities in the region, which involves spending cold nights on board a ship as he commutes between Goma and Bukavu.

It is not just DRC’s physical infrastructure that presents problems; there is no Wi-Fi in the region and mobile networks are poor, making even simple communication a challenge. So while Msombo must rely on mobile service providers for the internet, the network remains unstable. In remote areas, such as Kamituga, it becomes even less reliable. 

While not having internet access can be irritating, working in a region where civil unrest frequently breaks out can be downright dangerous. 

Msombo is currently in Goma town and, just 50km away, government forces and rebels are fighting; he has seen 50 people die because of the war.

On one occasion last November, as the team travelled through a village, they could hear heavy gunfire a few kilometres away, as rebel and government forces battled each other. 

Huge numbers of rebels started surging in their direction as the government troops were overpowered, shooting at random. Msombo and his agents had to run away quickly and find safe places to hide; that was his closest brush with death. 

However, Msombo is quick to point out that areas such as Goma and Bukavu are safe zones, and that he and his team are extremely cautious at all times. That said, he still faces the problem of respondents regularly refusing to be interviewed by field agents either from a different ethnic group, or who speak a different dialect from themselves.

DRC’s unstable economy – it has been falling since the mid-1980s –also poses challenges for Msombo. The high levels of inflation have an impact on the logistics of his role, often forcing the consultancy to dig deeper into its pockets to be able to conduct the research. But Msombo remains positive, buoyed by an inherent passion for his job and getting the right results. 

Overall, he believes his country is on the right path. For almost two decades, the DRC has suffered civil war, and the consequent collapse of much of its public sector. Ethnic rivalries, fuelled by economic interest, have also resulted in high poverty levels. However, several measures have been put in place to help curb some of the key issues affecting the country. 

With a total population of 75 million, better understanding of the local dynamics, means there are still considerable opportunities for people like Msombo and companies such as Sagaci Research at the forefront of market research in the country.