Brand Africa in partnership with Gina Din Group has announced Safaricom the Kenyan telecommunications brand as the number 1 overall brand in Kenya and the number 1 Kenyan brand in their 14th annual Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands research and rankings of the most admired brands in Africa.
The study revealed that while 56 per cent of Kenyans believe in Africa, only 26 per cent of their most admired brands are made in Africa – with Kenya accounting for 23per cent of the Top 100 brands.
Safaricom/Mpesa dominates the rankings as the #1 brand overall, and #1 Kenyan brand, #1 Telecommunications brand, and #1 brand Doing Good for Society, People and Environment. Coca Cola is the no. 1 ranked non-African brand in Kenya.
Among the Kenyan category leaders, Citizen is #1 media brand, Equity Bank as the #1 financial services brand, Tusker is the #1 non-alcoholic brand and Ketepa Tea as the #1 consumer non-cyclical brand, Naivas as the #1 retail brand, Softcare as the #1 personal care brand, Denri is the #1 apparel brand, and Ramtoms is the #1 electronic/computer brand.
Coca Cola (non-alcoholic beverages), Samsung (electronics/computers), Nike (sports and fitness), Toyota (auto manufacturers), Gucci (luxury), Blue Band (consumer, non cyclical), Google (technology), Nivea (personal care) and DSTV (media) are the #1 non Kenyan category leaders.
The Top 100 most admired brands in Kenya rankings are led by European brands accounting for 30%, African brands at 26%, North America at 22% and Asia at 20% and Oceania at 2%.
In a new category to determine the most admired country that contributes to a better Africa, Kenyans ranked Kenya as the #1 country. South Africa, USA, Rwanda and Tanzania make up the rest of the Top 5.
Safaricom/Mpesa (Kenyan brand), Coca Cola (non-Kenyan brand) and Unicef (Non Profit brand) are ranked the most admired brands for doing good for society, environment and people.
“Kenya is one of the continent’s leading nation brands,” says Thebe Ikalafeng, Brand Africa chairman and founder. “The results of the rankings demonstrate the diversity and complexity of the Kenyan market – and the strength of the local brands which drive its economy and identity.”
“Celebrating leading brands such as Kenyan giants, Safaricom, Equity and Tusker, is important because they are not only shaping the country and ultimately the continent’s identity and driving its prosperity; but are redefining its global narrative and stature,” says Gina Din, Founder and Chairman of Gina Din Group. “Brand Africa’s latest research across 31 countries underscores the unstoppable momentum of a brand-led renaissance that truly reflects the continent’s limitless potential.”
In applauding the initiative and congratulating the laureates, Ambassador Peter Madens, said in his opening remarks, “African brands are essential for their economic impact and in contributing to Africa’s emergence as a global powerhouse—self-reliant, competitive, and respected on the world stage.”
In recognising that behind every great brand, business and nation are inspired leaders and ideas, over and above the most admired brands, Brand Africa recognized the most outstanding leaders behind the leading businesses and brands.
Abdi Mohamed, who has been for ABSA and its predecessor, Barclays, for more than 30 years, led its re brand from Barclays to ABSA and built it into a respected local brand, was awarded the Africa Brand Leadership Award for Business; Gina Din Kariuki, the pan-African doyenne of communications and founder of GDG Group, who over the past 30 years has championed patriotic initiatives such as the Kenya for Kenyans Initiative which raised $10m toward drought relief, Amani Peace Initiative, Habitat for Humanity and has chaired many non-profit initiatives such as Boma International Hospitality College, was awarded the Africa Brand Leadership Award for Good Citizenship; Dr. Abbas Gullet, who has selflessly dedicated his entire career to making the Red Cross the most self sustainable in Africa and built the Boma PanAfrican group that owns the Boma International Hospitality College and Emergency Plus ambulance services, was awarded the Africa Brand Leadership Award for Non-Profit; the NBA Africa, which has invested millions of dollars in developing African youth, awarded the Africa Brand Leadership Award for Empowering Leaders of Tomorrow, and ABSA recognized for global local brand excellence.
In his closing remarks, Kiprono Kittony, the chairperson of the NSE, said, “The brands celebrated today represent some of the most respected and valuable businesses in Kenya. As a custodian of the value for businesses, many of the brands that are not already listed already on our bourse, are among the most trusted businesses and the leaders we want to attract to the NSE to create sustainable shareholder value.”
Recognising that brands are a vector of a nation or organisation’s identity, reputation, and competitiveness, every year since 2011, Brand Africa, through its independent research partners Kantar GeoPoll across Sub-Saharan Africa, Integrate in North Africa, and Analysis in the East African Islands, conducts research in over 30 markets, which account for as much as 85% of the continent’s GDP and population. As a non-profit initiative and to ensure the objectivity and independence of the rankings, the research is independently funded by Brand Africa, and no brands pay to feature in the rankings.
