Nigerian Brands Dangote and MTN Lead the Way, Championing Africa’s Brand Future
The 15th annual Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands rankings, unveiled today by Brand Africa in partnership with African Business and the Economic Commission for Africa, reveal a paradoxical landscape: despite a growing belief in Africa’s potential, African brands have plummeted to a historic low of just 11% among the continent’s most admired. This stark decline from 14% in 2024 underscores an urgent call for African consumers to convert optimism into tangible support for homegrown products.
However, amidst this challenging trend, Nigerian powerhouses Dangote and MTN stand out as beacons of African brand excellence.
Aliko Dangote was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his unparalleled contributions to African industrialization, his success in building a world-class African brand, and his pivotal role in transforming the continent’s economic future. Both Dangote and MTN were also inducted into the inaugural Brand Africa Hall of Fame, celebrating their consistent presence among Africa’s most admired brands over the past 5 to 15 years and their commitment to sustainable, world-class brand building. Furthermore, MTN was specifically celebrated as the #1 African brand for its positive societal and environmental contributions, embodying a commitment to a better Africa.
The comprehensive pan-African survey, spanning 31 countries and 8 languages, highlights a shifting brand landscape driven by Africa’s youthful population, expanding cultural influence, and growing geopolitical engagement. While global giants like Nike continue to dominate as the most admired brand overall for the eighth consecutive year, the findings serve as a “wake-up call for Africa,” as noted by Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa. He urged African brands to invest in R&D, innovate, deliver quality, and leverage authenticity to gain consumer commitment.
Mr. Claver Gatete, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, praised the inducted brands for advancing the African agenda and endorsed Brand Africa’s mission to promote inclusive industrialization and private sector-led growth across the continent.
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