Pre-conference masterclass discusses taking African brands to the world
Participants challenged to identify, articulate and commercialise the cultural assets that make their brand ready for a global audience.
BRAND RANKINGS
Rankings show divide between Afro optimism and waning brand loyalty
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
While a rising number of Africans are optimistic about the continent’s future, our loyalty towards African brands continues to decline.
Brand Africa, in partnership with African Business and the Economic Commission for Africa, has unveiled the results of the 15th annual ‘Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands’ rankings.
The launch of the 2025 Brand Africa rankings in Addis Ababa
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.
Africa’s first Sports Direct retail store opens its doors in Nairobi
Second outlet planned for Nairobi before year end, with Nigeria, South Africa and Morocco said to be future target markets.
Search is fragmenting – credibility and trust create the new visibility
Online search behaviour has changed significantly with the rise of AI. How can African brands adapt to this new marketing landscape?
The move toward future-ready food packaging where materials meet AI
Researchers propose a framework for packaging that senses, learns and acts – making packaging an active, AI-powered tool against food waste.
Malawi’s marketers urged to put trust at the heart of the profession
Country needs marketers to build recognition and consumer trust around Malawian products and national brand, says Deputy Minister.
Lingerie brand creates street-stopping advertising in Manhattan
Fashion brand suspends giant lingerie high above the city’s streets, using shadows to create a moving billboard for pedestrians and motorists.
We know AI influencers aren’t real – so why do we trust them?
Researchers describe AI influencers as having a ‘dual identity’. Consumers evaluate both ‘person’ and ‘technology’ identities at once.
Why trust has become a critical asset for hotel industry marketers
Reputation and trust, once modest influences on hotel choice, have become some of the strongest predictors of patronage, study finds.
FNB bank’s eBucks programme dominates the 2026 SA loyalty awards
South African brands are increasingly setting the global benchmark for customer loyalty strategies, organisers say.
Zambia’s strongest creative ideas are emerging from local truths
Global influences among younger consumers are still present, but they are being filtered through a distinctly Zambian lens.
Consumers have doubts about products when they’re designed by AI
Researchers find that lack of perceived ‘genuine care’ is the mechanism connecting AI involvement to lower trust ratings.