Conningarth Economists

What Conningarth Economists does

Conningarth Economists is a South African multi-disciplinary economic consulting firm headquartered in Pretoria, founded in 1989 by Dr. David (Dawie) Mullins. The firm applies quantitative economic analysis and econometric modelling to practical problems, delivering macroeconomic policy analysis, sectoral economic strategy, regional economic development, and natural resource and infrastructure development analysis. It serves government agencies, development banks, multilateral institutions, and private sector clients (notably mining, energy, and transport), primarily across sub-Saharan Africa with select projects in Northern Africa.

The firm's technical core rests on a set of specialized analytical methodologies and tools: Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) based analysis, Input-Output modelling, Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), regression-based macro-econometric modelling, and the proprietary INFORUM/SAFRIM inter-industry macroeconomic model (accessed via membership in the international Inforum group at the University of Maryland). Conningarth also deploys a user-friendly Excel-macro-based macroeconomic impact model for both construction and operational phase assessments, and has compiled and updated the official Manual for Cost-Benefit Analysis in South Africa. A close working relationship with Statistics South Africa supports authoritative national accounts infrastructure, including I-O Tables and SAMs for South Africa, Namibia, and Swaziland.

Conningarth generates revenue exclusively through project-based professional services engagements, executing both as main consultant and as sub-consultant on multi-disciplinary mandates. Pricing is negotiated on a per-project basis with no public disclosure. The firm maintains a small core staff (11–50 employees) of highly credentialed economists (masters/doctoral-level, many current or former university lecturers), augmented by a network of associates (Aurecon, GWS, Tlou, GAIN, Imani, BKS/AECOM). Since 1998, the Conningarth Student Training and Development Scheme has functioned both as a talent pipeline and a billable training service to institutions including the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the Department of Agriculture, the University of Pretoria, and Lesotho Government Officials. Ownership is closely held, with multiple Mullins family members in key positions and no external investors disclosed.

Name

Conningarth Economists

Legal name

Conningarth Economists

Website

https://conningarth.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Conningarth Economists is a Pretoria-based, 11–50 person economic consulting firm specializing in quantitative macroeconomic, sectoral, and regional economic analysis (SAM, Input-Output, CBA, MCDA) for governments, development banks, and private sector clients across sub-Saharan Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Economic Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ), Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting Advisory (GAAP/IFRS) (BPAHABAF)

Keywords

• Economic consulting services
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Social accounting matrix
• Macroeconomic forecasting
• Econometric modelling

Headquarters

HQ city

Pretoria

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Economic Consulting Services: Project-based consulting engagements providing macroeconomic analysis, policy analysis, sectoral economic strategy, regional economic development analysis, and natural resource/infrastructure development analysis to government agencies, development banks, and private sector clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Conningarth Economists is a South African multi-disciplinary economic consulting firm that provides quantitative economic analysis, policy analysis, sectoral economic strategy, regional economic development analysis, and natural resource/infrastructure development analysis. It delivers these services through specialized analytical methodologies including Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) based analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), Input-Output analysis, the INFORUM/SAFRIM econometric model, and an Excel-driven Macro-Economic Impact Model. The firm serves government agencies, development banks, multilateral institutions, and private sector clients primarily across sub-Saharan Africa.

Product overview

Conningarth Economists is a South African multi-disciplinary economic consulting firm that offers a unified portfolio of quantitative economic analysis services. The core offering consists of macro-economic policy analysis, sectoral economic strategy, regional economic development, and natural resource/infrastructure development analysis. These services are delivered through specialized analytical methodologies including Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) based analysis, Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA), Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), and macro-economic impact modeling. The firm also utilizes the INFORUM/SAFRIM econometric model for dynamic interindustry forecasting and regression analysis for econometric modeling. The company operates primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and serves clients including government departments, development banks, and private sector entities across sectors such as Transport, Manufacturing, Energy, Mining, Agriculture, and Water.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Macro-Economic Policy Analysis and Forecasting Analysis and forecasting of macroeconomic impacts and policy interventions, providing quantitative economic analysis to assess policy scenarios for government agencies, development banks, and private sector clients.
• Sectoral Economic Strategy Analysis Economic strategy analysis and forecasting of economic impacts at the sector level, analyzing specific industries and their economic contributions for clients across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Regional Economic Development Analysis Regional economic development analysis and forecasting, assessing economic impacts at provincial and local government levels to support development planning decisions.
• Natural Resource and Infrastructure Development Analysis Analysis of natural resource development and infrastructure projects, evaluating economic viability and impacts of resource-based projects for government and private sector clients.
• Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) Based Analysis Economy-wide data framework analysis using Social Accounting Matrices to measure economic impacts of projects and programs on various stakeholder groups, converted into user-friendly macroeconomic impact models.
• Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) Scientific methodology to assess direct viability and sustainability of projects, evaluating costs against benefits using economic and financial prices; Conningarth is the compiler of the official CBA manual in South Africa.
• Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) Project evaluation tool that considers multiple quantitative and qualitative criteria to assess impacts across various aspects of society for clients evaluating complex projects.
• Macro-Economic Impact Analysis Model User-friendly Excel-based model driven by macros that calculates macroeconomic impacts and key performance indicators for the construction and operational phases of projects at national, provincial, and local government levels.
• INFORUM/SAFRIM Model-Based Forecasting (South African Inter-Industry Forecasting Model) Dynamic interindustry macroeconomic model providing bottom-up sectoral forecasting and analysis, operated via Conningarth's membership in the international Inforum group of economists.
• Regression Analysis for Macro-Econometric Modelling Statistical analysis method forming the nucleus of macro-econometric modeling, used to obtain relationships between macro and micro variables in the economy for client projects.
• Conningarth Student Training and Development Scheme Capacity building and training program in economic analysis and econometric tools (SAM, Input-Output, CBA, etc.) delivered to aspiring economists, students at academic institutions (e.g., UNISA, RAU, University of Pretoria), and external clients such as DBSA, the Department of Agriculture, the University of Pretoria, and Lesotho Government Officials; students acquire up to 80% of their skills through hands-on project work under qualified economists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students acquire up to 80% of their overall skills from hands-on training while working on projects

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inforum (Interindustry Forecasting Project at University of Maryland)coreTechnology or IntegrationConningarth is a member of an international group of economists that do macro and detailed sectoral forecast and analysis using the INFORUM/SAFRIM model. Inforum was founded 40 years ago by Dr. Clopper Almon, Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland. Most Inforum members are also members of the International Input-Output Association.
• AureconminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering and infrastructure advisory firm listed as an associate. Has collaborated on multiple projects including Vaalharts Feasibility Study, Limpopo River Basin studies, and various water resource projects.
• Statistics South Africa (Stats SA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose working relationship for compilation of South Africa's official I-O Tables and Social Accounting Matrices. Conducted study commissioned by Stats SA to implement New UN Systems of National Accounts regarding water use and supply.
• Tlou ConsultantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWater and environmental consulting firm listed as an associate. Has collaborated on water resource development and reserve determination studies.
• GAINminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInfrastructure and development consulting firm listed as an associate. Has collaborated on transportation infrastructure studies including freight demand models and road projects.
• Imani DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment consulting firm listed as an associate. Has collaborated on economic impact studies including Sani Pass road upgrade and Swaziland Railway Link project.
• BKS / AECOMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering consultancy listed as an associate. Has collaborated on various infrastructure and water resource studies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Genesis Analytics: South African economic, social and development consultancy serving governments, multilaterals and corporates across Africa. Closest direct peer — same geography, same client types (World Bank, DFIs, government), with overlapping practices in economic policy, impact evaluation, and development advisory.
• Cambridge Econometrics: UK-based economic modelling and forecasting firm specializing in macro-econometric modelling, I-O/SAM analysis and policy impact assessment for governments and multilaterals. Comparable on core methodology (multi-sectoral macro modelling) and end markets, though operating from the UK.
• Quantec: South African provider of economic and financial data, forecasting, and sectoral analytics with proprietary macroeconomic and I-O datasets. Highly comparable — same SA base, similar econometric/forecasting tooling, and overlapping government and corporate client base.
• Econometrica (South Africa): South African economic and development consultancy providing policy advisory, economic strategy, and project evaluation to government and development institutions. Comparable on geography, customer profile and core deliverable mix (CBA, M&E, policy).

Regional players

• Khulisa Management Services: South African monitoring & evaluation, development consulting and analytics firm working with government and donors on impact assessment and program evaluation. Adjacent peer with overlapping government/donor client base and evaluation methodology.

Others

• Development Policy Centre (AidData / World Bank affiliated): Research and policy organization producing development economics datasets and country-level impact studies for African economies. Adjacent peer — produces substitutable analysis at country level but typically donor-funded rather than commercial.
• Statistics South Africa (Stats SA): Official national statistics agency producing the I-O Tables, SAMs and macroeconomic data that Conningarth relies on for its core methodology. Not a commercial peer but the closest functional/regulatory counterparty and a key strategic partner.
• AFD (Agence Française de Développement) Economic Research Unit: Development finance institution with in-house economics/research capability funding and producing CBA and impact studies for African infrastructure. Comparable as a commissioning counterparty and as in-house competition for analytical mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Oxford Economics: Global economic research and forecasting firm producing macroeconomic, sectoral and city-level analysis for government and corporate clients worldwide. Comparable on deliverable type (forecasting, impact analysis) and clients, but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.
• KPMG Economics (Africa): Big-4 economics advisory practice providing macro policy, fiscal and regulatory economic analysis in South Africa and broader Africa. Comparable client base and service mix; broader portfolio and deeper bench than Conningarth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Conningarth Economists