Dangote Group has retained its status as the number one most admired African brand for the fourth time in a row, pushing MTN and DSTV of South Africa to the second and third positions respectively.
The award was announced at a virtual event in Uganda and followed a survey conducted between March and April 2021, which yielded over 80,000 brand mentions and over 3,500 unique brands.
Organized by Brand Africa, founders of the Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the
Top 100 brands in Africa, however continues to be dominated by European brands which have held their share at 41% (down by 1%), North America (up by 1%), Asia (no change), and Africa, which retained its 13% share of the most admired brands in the world.
Similarly, the leading African countries that dominated the rankings largely retained their positions with Nigeria and South Africa having five brands each, Ethiopia and Kenya accounted for 13 brands, among the Top 100.
Commenting on the outcome of this year’s awards, Thebe Ikalafeng, founder and chairman of Brand Africa and Brand Leadership, “there is no doubt the pandemic, that continues to cost lives and livelihoods, and coincided with the launch of the implementation phase of the AfCFTA which aims to accelerate intra-Africa trade from 18% to 50% in 2030, is becoming a catalyst for economies with nations having to look internally for sustainability. The internal shifts in the rankings in particular the African brands, Africa can and will need to grow its own brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market.”
African brands, he continued, “will continue to play a dual role of being globally competitive but most importantly of transforming the continent’s promise into a real change.”
Also commenting on the award, the Group Chief Corporate Communication Officer of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, said the ranking was not unexpected, given that the company has a long-standing reputation for quality, relevance compliance and social stewardship.
“Our mission and vision engage and inspire us; and by extension connects us to both our internal and external stakeholders,” he added.
He expressed fervent “believe that only Africans can develop Africa, and this gives us stronger sense of relevance in all the countries where we have our operations. We are touching lives by providing their basic needs and empowering Africans more than ever before creating jobs, reducing capital flight, helping government conserve foreign exchange drain by supporting different industrial and infrastructural projects of African government.”
Chiejina further noted that Dangote Cement has continued to produce high quality products, create employment, reduce poverty, engage in unprecedented philanthropy, and above all, respecting the laws of the land where it operates.
