African Brands Lose Ground in 2023 Brand Africa Rankings
The latest Brand Africa rankings reveal a 20% decline in the number of African brands among the top 100 brands in the continent in 2023, a disappointing trend.
Brand Africa 100: A Consumer-Centric Survey
Now in its 13th edition, Brand Africa 100 is an independent survey conducted among consumers to establish brand preferences across the continent. This year's study covered a record 32 countries and economic regions, representing over 85% of Africa's population and GDP.
African Brands Struggle to Make an Impact
All African brands, except for Trade Kings, a Zambian manufacturer of detergents, pasta, soap, and fabric softeners, have lost ground. Trade Kings is the highest-ranking local brand, debuting at 38th place.
MTN and Dangote Lead the Pack
MTN remains the most admired African brand in the top 100, while Dangote takes the top spot when respondents are prompted to recall a specific African brand. Ethiopian Airlines is the most admired airline brand in the top 100.
South Africa and Nigeria Lead the Way
South Africa and Nigeria top the list of African countries, each with four brands among the 14 African brands in the rankings.
Brands Making a Positive Impact
The 2023 Brand Africa survey also sought to determine the most admired brand for its social, environmental, and societal impact. UNICEF emerged as the top NGO, while Coca-Cola is the top non-African brand, and MTN is the top African brand. South African brands, led by MTN, account for 50% of the most admired African brands for their positive impact, followed by Dangote (Nigeria) and Azam (Tanzania).
New Entrants and Departures
Notably, 15% of the top 100 brands are new entrants, led by Oral B (Procter & Gamble) at 34th place. Meanwhile, South African brand Drip, Kenyan beer brand Tusker, and South African multinational Tiger Brands have exited the top 100.
Global Brands Dominate
Europe, led by Adidas (2nd place), has increased its share of the most admired brands in Africa to 37%, followed by North America (32%) and Asia (17%). Nike, Adidas, Samsung, Coca-Cola, and Apple have maintained their dominance in the top 5.
Sector Breakdown
The top three sectors are:
- Consumer goods (20%): Nestlé (16th), Unilever (20th), and Dangote (27th)
- Electronics (17%): Samsung (3rd), Apple (5th), and Tecno (9th)
- Luxury (11%): Gucci (6th), Louis Vuitton (17th), and Christian Dior (28th)
African Markets Remain Volatile
Notably, no North African country is represented in the rankings, highlighting that even a strong presence of large groups does not necessarily translate to increased demand or improved country image. Africa remains a vast and volatile market.