Nike, MTN, Dangote: Ranking Africa’s top brands

Brand Africa last week announced the top 100 brands in Africa in its 7th annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands ranking. Nike, MTN, Dangote, Ecobank and BBC were recognised as the most admired brands on the continent.

Since 2011, the Brand Africa 100 has been surveying and ranking the most admired brands spontaneously recalled by African consumers. In a relatively stable top 100 list, the US sports and fitness mega brand, Nike, retains the overall #1 brand in Africa spontaneously recalled by consumers. South African telecoms brand MTN is the #1 African brand spontaneously recalled, while surging Ethiopian brand Anbessa Shoes, at #2, swopped positions with Nigerian conglomerate, Dangote, which is the #3 most admired brand of African of origin. However, when consumers are prompted to recall the most admired African brand, Dangote retains the #1 position.

Overall, African brands faltered to an all-time low 14% share of the top 100 most admired brands in Africa. Faced with a relentless focus on the African opportunity and investment by non-African brands, Africa’s share of the most admired brands has been rapidly declining over the past three years from a high of 25% in 2013/4 to lows of 16% in 2015/6, 16% in 2016/7 and 17% in 2017/8.

Non-African brands have entrenched their positions in Africa, with North American brands, dominated exclusively by US brands (28%), leading with a growth of 17% versus 2017/8. The strength of US brands was boosted by the entry and/or re-entry of stalwart American brands such as #71 Levi’s, #91 Chevrolet and Pepsi’s Miranda at #80, who are all among the 20 new entrants. European brands (41%) are up by 2.5% and Asian brands (17%) down by 10%.

The Brand Africa 100 rankings are based on a survey among a representative sample of respondents 18 years and older, conducted in 25 countries across Africa. Covering all African economic regions, collectively these countries account for an estimated 80% of the continent’s population and 75% of the GDP.

“It is disappointing that despite its vibrant entrepreneurial environment, Africa is not creating new competitive brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market, says Thebe Ikalafeng, founder and chairman of Brand Africa and Brand Leadership. “These rankings are an important metric of and challenge for creating home-grown competitive African brands that will transform the African promise and change its narrative and image as a competitive continent. African brands have an important role in helping to build the African brand.”