TNS acquires majority stake in Nigeria’s Research and Marketing Services

The acquisition adds Nigeria, Senegal, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana to TNS’s existing network covering South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Egypt and Morocco.

RMS chief executive Adeola Tejumola has been appointed head of the merged TNS RMS business in West, East and Central West Africa.  Tejumola, said “It is fitting that on the 30th anniversary of RMS, we will commence the next stage of our development as part of TNS, the world’s largest custom research agency.”

TNS RMS will have a West African hub based in Lagos, Nigeria, with East Africa being operated from Nairobi, Kenya. Aggrey Maposa, currently COO at RMS has been appointed as CEO of West Africa while Melissa Baker, TNS CEO in East Africa will head the merged East African business.

The acquisition of a majority stake in RMS by TNS follows on from an affiliation agreement signed by the two companies in March 2010 and an investment by WPP in RMS in August 2010.