Rankings show divide between Afro optimism and waning brand loyalty

The announcement was made at the historic Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – the birthplace of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU). 

The 2025 rankings reveal a stark disconnect between rising African optimism and declining brand loyalty. While 68% of Africans express belief in Africa, up from 64% in 2024, only 11% of the top 100 most admired brands are African – a historic low, down from 14% in 2024.  

The rankings are based on a pan-African survey conducted across 31 countries and in eight languages, from Arabic to Swahili. 

“This drop underscores the urgent challenge for homegrown brands to convert belief into consumer commitment, and Africans to support made-in-Africa brands,” the latest report states. 

“The research reflects a changing brand landscape driven by Africa’s youthful population, expanding cultural influence, and growing geopolitical engagement with global blocs such as the G20 and BRICS+.” 

Among the highlights: 

• Nike retains its number position as the most admired brand overall in Africa for the 8th consecutive year, with a relatively unchanged Top 10. 

• MTN and Dangote are the top African brands by spontaneous and aided recall, respectively. 

• MTN is the number brand contributing to a better Africa and for doing good for society and the environment. 

• Bathu is the number one most admired apparel brand. 

• Standard Bank is the most admired financial services brand. 

• Nike leads among Gen Z and Millennials, while Samsung leads for Gen Z and Baby Boomers. 

• BBC is the number one media brand overall, while DStv is the number one African media brand. 

• South Africa is the most admired nation brand in Africa. 

“It is disappointing to see the sharp drop in African brands, which mirrors the ranking of non-African nations as the most influential in Africa,” says Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa. 

“It’s a wake-up call for Africa – and a barometer of the continent’s lagging industrialisation agenda. It’s not enough for Africans to say they believe in the continent – they must buy made-in-Africa. For that to happen, African brands must invest in R&D, continue to innovate, deliver quality, and use authenticity as a differentiator.” 

In his keynote address, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Claver Gatete, said Brand Africa aligns with the ECA’s mission to promote inclusive industrialisation, regional integration and private sector-led growth.  

He called for investment in youth-driven innovation, regional value chains, and the creation of a pan-African creative innovation fund to identify, finance and globalise Africa’s most promising brands. 

Top three brands (Overall):  

Nike 

Adidas 

Samsung 

Top three brands (Africa only): 

MTN 

Dangote  

Azam Group 

You can find out more about the 2025 survey here.