Dangote still most admired African brand

Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group

Dangote Group (https://Dangote.com/) has for the second year emerged as the most admired African brand, of African continent origin, by consumers ahead of the telecommunications giant, MTN, in a survey of 100 Africa best brands announced in Johannesburg at the weekend.

According to the South Africa-based Brand Africa, in a survey carried out in collaboration with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), the seventh edition which was released at the weekend, of 15,000 brands mentioned, Dangote ranked as the first brand when consumers are prompted to recall the most admired African brand.

In the top 100 list, the United State sports and fitness mega brand, Nike, a non-African brand retains the overall number one brand in Africa spontaneously recalled by consumers. South African telecoms brand MTN is the number one African spontaneously recalled brand, while surging Ethiopian brand Anbessa Shoes, at number two, swopped positions with Nigerian conglomerate, Dangote, which is the number three most admired brand of African of origin.

However, when consumers are prompted to recall the most admired African brand, Dangote retains the number one position. Just last year, the Dangote brand was named the most valuable brand among the top 50 brands in Nigeria for 2018 by Brand Nigeria.

Further analysis of the ranking indicates that overall, the 2018/19 Brand Africa 100 list, which is calculated from 15,000 brand mentions, illustrates a very diversified range of brands in Africa and shows year on year consistency with 80 percent of the top 100 brands having been in the top 100 Most Admired Brands in previous years.

Overall, African brands faltered to an all-time low 14 percent share of the top 100 most admired brands in Africa. However, MTN (South Africa), Dangote (Nigeria) and Safaricom (Kenya) are the most admired highest listed brands on sub-Sahara’s leading bourses, the JSE, Nigeria Stock Exchange and Nairobi Securities Exchange respectively.

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 percent in 2013/14 to lows of 16 percent in 2015/16, 16 percent in 2016/17 and 17 percent in 2017/18.

“Today at the JSE, at an event with industry leaders from across Africa, hosted by the JSE in partnership with Geopoll, Kantar and Brand Leadership, Brand Africa announced the Top 100 brands in Africa in their 7th annual Brand Africa 100:  Africa’s Best Brands. Nike, MTN, Dangote, Ecobank and BBC were recognised as the most admired brands on the continent.”, a statement from the Brand Africa read.

“Non-African brands have entrenched their positions in Africa, with North American brands, dominated exclusively by United States of America brands (28%), leading with a growth of 17% versus 2017/8.  The strength of USA brands was boosted by the entry and/or re-entry of stalwart American brands such as number 71 Levi’s, number 91 Chevrolet and Pepsi’s Miranda at number 80, who are all among the 20 new entrants.  European brands (41%) are up by 2,5% and Asian brands (17%) down by 10%, round up the continental spread of brands Africans admire.

The Brand Africa 100 rankings, conducted in 25 countries across Africa, are based on a survey among a representative sample of respondents who are 18 years and older. 

Covering all African economic regions, collectively these countries account for an estimated 80% of the continent’s population and 75% of the GDP.

In a reconfigured category listing where technology and electronics and telecoms categories were separated and new categories of luxury and personal care were introduced or re-introduced, the Top 100 is dominated by technology and electronic brands (18%) and telecoms (7%), consumer (non-cyclical) (16%), auto manufacturers (11%), luxury (10%), automobile (11%), apparel (8%), retail (7%), food (4%), non-alcoholic beverages (5%), personal care (4%), sports & fitness (4%) and media (1%) categories are the top categories.

Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder/Chairman, Brand Africa and Brand Leadership, said of the survey’s outcome. “It’s disappointing that despite its vibrant entrepreneurial environment, Africa is not creating new competitive brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market.

“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,” he added.