NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, October 23, 2015

MTN emerged Africa’s most admired brand for the second year in a row, according the fourth annual Brand Africa 100 rankings announced Thursday in Johannesburg. It’s the second year in a row that the South African telco is topping the rankings.

Nigerian mobile operator Glo/ Globacom placed second, while Dangote, the manufacturing conglomerate owned by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote comes in third.

MTN is also Africa’s most valued brand, the mobile operator’s brand is valued at $4.6 billion, or the equivalent of Togo’s economy. Pay-TV operator Multichoice/ DSTV is the continent’s second most valuable brand, followed by Kenyan telco Safaricom, and its associated mobile money brand M-Pesa.

Econet Wireless Founder and Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of “leadership excellence, inspiration and service to Africa”, while the Brand Builder of the Year award went to Dangote.

The Emerging African Brand award – which recognises entrepreneurship excellence – went to Kisua (Ghana/South Africa), Yswara (Ivory Coast/South Africa) and Konga (Nigeria).