Global media analytics company Nielsen has announced its plan to exit South Africa within the next 12 months, a decision that will have significant implications for the country’s media and advertising industries. Nielsen, a global leader in audience measurement and data analytics with operations in over 100 countries, has a long-standing presence in South Africa.
The company, which has local offices in Rosebank, Johannesburg, provides a range of services, including media planning, marketing optimization, and content data services. Critically, Nielsen is the service provider for the Broadcast Research Council (BRC) of South Africa, an industry body that oversees the country’s television and radio audience measurement.
In a statement, Nielsen said the decision to leave South Africa was made after a “considerable business review.” The company has already notified its employees and the BRC of its intent to close local operations but has committed to working with the BRC to ensure a smooth transition.
In response to Nielsen’s planned exit, the BRC has announced that it will lead the transition to a new service provider. The organization has already identified a potential replacement and is in the final stages of the appointment process. The BRC has stated that it is engaging with Nielsen to ensure continuity of data during the handover period and will announce further details within two weeks.
The full implementation of a new audience measurement system is expected to take between 15 and 18 months, though interim measures are being prepared to ensure a continuous flow of data for the industry.
Nielsen’s departure is part of a broader trend of international companies downsizing or exiting their operations in South Africa. This list includes prominent names like the global consultancy Bain & Company, which recently wound up its local presence. The mining sector has also seen high-profile exits, with Anglo American reducing its local operations and Shell offloading its downstream and forecourt businesses.
In the finance sector, several international banks with relatively small operations in the country, including HSBC, BNP Paribas, Barclays Plc, Standard Chartered Plc, and Societe Generale, have also recently shut up shop. While these exits signal a downturn for some global players, South Africa is still attracting new investment, particularly in the leisure, travel, and automotive sectors. Upcoming entrants include Club Med and OKU Hotels, while Tata Motors is set to re-enter the country’s passenger vehicle market.
Additionally, West Wits Mining will open the country’s first new underground gold mine in 15 years, showing that international investment continues to flow into South Africa despite these high-profile exits.
