Here are Africa’s Most Admired Brands

Posted on May 28th, 2018
Business Skills & Planning

Africa-Brand-100-logoThe most admired home-grown brands in Africa are Dangote and MTN, while the most admired brand in Africa is Nike. This is according to research done by Brand Africa to find Africa’s Best Brands for 2017/18.

Brand Africa in association with the JSE, announced the Top 100 best brands in Africa on their 6th annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands at the JSE in Johannesburg.

The US sports and fitness brand, Nike, is the overall #1 brand in Africa according to consumers. South African tele-communications brand MTN is the #1 African brand spontaneously recalled irrespective of continent of origin; while Nigerian industrial brand Dangote is the #1 African recalled when consumers are prompted about the continent (Africa) of origin.

The Brand Africa 100 ranking is based on a survey among consumers 18 years and older, conducted in 23 countries across Africa. The countries, representing all African economic regions, collectively account for 75% of the population and the 74% of the GDP of Africa.

African brands rose slightly to account for 17% of the Top 100 brands in Africa, non-African brands retained their firm position in Africa with 83% share of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa.

Europe leads the table with 40/100 (-2), North America at 24/100 (- 2) and Asia 19/100 (+2). West Africa (6) with only Nigerian brands (6) and Southern Africa (6) with South African brands (5) lead the table, East Africa (5) leads with Kenya (2) among brands recalled spontaneously.

“African brands have an important role in helping to build the African brand,” says Thebe Ikalafeng, founder and chairman of Brand Africa and Brand Leadership. “These rankings are an important metric of the progress Africa is making in creating home-grown world class brands that are changing the narrative on African competitiveness, image and reputation and contributing to its socio-economic transformation.”

nike shoes brands africa

Tech brands dominate

The Top 100 is dominated by technology and electronic brands (29%), consumer (non-cyclical) (19%), apparel (15%), automobile (8%), food (7%) and sports & fitness (5%) categories are the top categories.

Overall, the 2017/18 Brand Africa 100 list, which started out with over 15,500 brand mentions covering over 2,200 admired brands, illustrates a very diversified portfolio of categories and brands in Africa.

There is an incredible year-on-year consistency, with 60% of the Top 10 brands common among the Top 10 Most Admired African Brands and Most Admired Brands in Africa, led by Nigeria’s Dangote and Glo, South Africa’s MTN and Shoprite, Kenya’s Tusker and Ethiopia’s Anbessa. Out of the 16 African brands in Top 100 in 2016/17, six exited and seven entered the Top 100 in 2017/18.

The major change on the list is the status of the Safaricom/Mpesa brand. Because Vodacom/Vodafone recently became majority owner of the business, in the 2017/18 tables the Safaricom/Mpesa brand was consolidated into the Vodacom/Vodafone brand. Singled out, the Safaricom/Mpesa brand ranked 27, higher than the Vodacom/Vodafone brand, which is at #31. Collectively, the Vodacom/Vodafone/Safaricom brand is now at #17. But Safaricom/Mpesa remains a highly recalled ‘African’ brand among Financial Services and the Most Admired Brands in Africa.

Zimbabwe’s Econet made the most spectacular first time entry into the Top 100 at #40. After a long stay on the list despite its innumerable challenges, BlackBerry finally fell off the list as the brand exited the consumer markets. On the other hand, Etisalat, which dropped 31 spots remains on the list of the Top 100 despite exiting Africa in 2017.

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Financial services

In the financial services sector, 60% of the Most Admired Brands are made in Africa. GTB retains its #1 position as the Most Admired Financial Services Brand, and Safaricom Mpesa retains its pole position among mobile money brands. Mobile money brands, Safaricom Mpesa (#9), Airtel Money (#21), PayPal (#24) and Orange Money (#25)’s presence underscore the impact of not only Mpesa as the catalyst, but mobile as a key enabler for financial access. Nigeria (6), South Africa (5) and Kenya (3) lead the finance brand tables in a continent that’s cash rather credit led.

Mtn logo and Dangote Africa's most admired brands

Highlights: Most Admired Brands in Africa

  • African brands up one spot to take 17% (17/100) (+1) share of the Top 100 brands in Africa.
  • Europe leads the table with 40/100 (-2). North America with 24/100 (- 2) and Asia with 19/100 (+2)
  • Ralph Lauren (+48), Versace (+41) and Reebok (+43) made the most gains.
  • Ford (-39),), Etisalat (-31) and Sprite (-38) lost the most ground.
  • Zimbabwe’s Econet (#40) made most spectacular entry into the Top 100.
  • Technology and Electronic brands (29%), consumer (non-cyclical) (19%), apparel (15%), automobile (8%), food (7%) and sports & fitness (5%) categories are the top categories.
  • Non-African brands are #1 in 17/23 countries, led by Samsung (8/23), Nike (6/23), Coke (2/23) and Gucci (1/23).
    African brands are #1 in 6/23 countries, led by MTN (2/23), Econet (1/23), Trade Kings (1/23) and Azam (1/23).

Highlights: Most Admired African Brands

  • Dangote is the #1 most admired African brand recalled when consumers are prompted about the continent of origin.
  • MTN retains position as the #1 Most Admired African brand spontaneously recalled irrespective of country of origin.
  • West Africa (9) with Nigerian brands (4) leads the table, Southern Africa (7) leads with South African brands (5), East Africa (5) leads with Kenya (3) and North Africa (1) leads with Morocco (1) among brands recalled when prompted on continent of origin.
  • Southern Africa (9) leads with South Africa (5), West Africa (9) leads with Nigeria (4), and East Africa (5) leads with Kenya (3) and North Africa (1) with Morocco (1) among brands recalled when prompted on continent of origin.
  • West Africa (6) with Nigeria (6) leads the table; Southern Africa (6) leads with South Africa (4); and East Africa (5) leads with Kenya (3), among brands recalled spontaneously.

The Brand Africa 100 results are published in African Business on sale globally from 25 May 2017 and online to subscribers on www.africanbusinessmag.com and www.brandafrica.org.