For the sixth consecutive year, the Dangote brand has been adjudged as the Most Admired African Brand among top 100 brands in the continent.

Dangote, as the most Admired African when respondents are prompted to recall an African brand specifically was followed by the Telecommunication outfit, MTN in the second position and the Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) coming third, both of South-Africa origin.

The pan-African conglomerate brand was also adjudged as the number one African Pride brand followed by the Ethiopian Airline and MTN respectively.

In a newly introduced category, the Dangote brand came second in Sustainability, by brands doing good for the people, Society and the Environment.

These were announced in Johannesburg, South-Africa on the occasion of the Africa Day marking the 13th Annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands 2023 rankings of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa based on a survey and rankings conducted by Geopoll, Kantar and Brand Leadership, across 32 African countries that account for more than 85% of the continent’s GDP and population.

Brand Africa in its statement announcing the ranking disclosed that in a new category of brands that are doing good for people, society and the environment, inspired by business shifting from profit to purpose, MTN and Dangote as African brands came first and second respectively while Unicef emerged as the number one NGO and Coca Cola emerged as the number one non-African brand.

In the category specific ranking of the Top 25 financial services brands, Africa’s

oldest banking group, Standard Bank surged to the number one position of the most admired brand in Africa, displacing GTBank, which had led the rankings for the past 3 years, but is reeling from recent UK regulatory issues, service challenges and a tough competitive environment. The category is dominated by South African (6) and Nigerian (6) brands which account for 48% of the rankings, with the USA (4), led by VISA, at 16% percent, making up 64% of the Top 25 brands.

In another category specific ranking of the Top 25 media brands, DSTV, the consumer brand of the Multichoice Group, retains its dominant ranking ahead of BBC and CNN as the most admired media brand in Africa. Consistent with previous rankings, non-African media dominate the continent, accounting for 76% of the Top 25 brands.

Brand Africa disclosed that Dangote retained the number one spot for the 6th time despite African brands slipping to 14% of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa as non-African brands entrench their position in the continent.

Thebe Ikalafeng, founder and chairman of Brand Africa expressed concern that despite optimism with the progress of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other initiative to drive African initiatives, African brands still regressed 20% from a 10-year high of 17% to 14% share of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa.

“It is concerning that despite the momentum in operationalizing the AfCFTA, rising internal pride in continent albeit against global economic challenges, that African consumers have reverted to their trusted, mostly non-Africa brands, rather than give African brands a chance,” he stated. “Nonetheless, this is the state of brands in Africa, and an urgent need to build trust in Made in African brands.”

Bernard Okasi, the Director of Research, GeoPoll, which has been the lead data collection partner since 2015 while speaking on the outcome of the survey explained “With an ever increasing number of countries, greater sample size, and the growth of mobile across the continent, more than ever, using mobile continues to prove to be an effective tool to reach and access respondents across the continent.”

The Chief Growth Officer Africa Middle East for Kantar, Karin Du Chenne, who has been the insight lead for Brand Africa since inception in 2010 says, “despite the increased countries and sample sizes which have invariably grown the volumes of brands analysed, the survey continues to yield a very consistent picture of the leading brands in the continent, albeit not yet to Africa’s advantage.”

He added that as a non-profit initiative and to ensure the objectivity and independence of the rankings, the Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands research to determine the most admired top-of-mind brands in Africa are not funded by any brand.

Reacting to the last survey affirming Dangote as number one most admired indigenous African brand, Group Chief, Branding and Communication, Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina said the awards were well deserved because “the Dangote brand generates strong nationalistic impressions and powerful feelings across the Continent in terms of industrialization, self-sufficiency, prosperity, power and production.”

He stated that this was further strengthened with the recent commissioning of 650,000 bpd Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemical complex which is a huge industrial complex or frigate. “The brand portends the inevitability of Nigerian global ascendancy and a gateway to regional and continental development,” he added.

Established in 2010, Brand Africa is a intergenerational movement to inspire a brand-led African renaissance to drive Africa’s competitiveness, connect Africa and create a positive image of the Continent.

In its desire for the sustainable transformation of the tourism industry and to integrate sustainability thinking in the hospitality and tourism industry, Red Clay, a specialist hospitality and tourism consultancy practice launched its sustainability and ESG tourism leadership webinar series on Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

The first session on design, funding, and investment practices interrogated the factors that influence design, investment and financing considerations that drive what is eventually built, the materials used and how these materials play a part in the user experience and long-term performance of the structures economically, environmentally and socially.

Dr Adun Okupe, Principal Advisor at Red Clay and convener of the series explained the need to address some of the challenges in the multi-layered and multi-disciplinary nature of the industry, and the role a sustainability mindset can contribute to tourism development.

Dr Okupe has worked on the tourism strategies and master plans for several states in Nigeria, including Lagos, Ekiti and Edo States, and shared that investors are increasingly requiring evidence of sustainability thinking in the type of tourism projects that are funded.

Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, the Chief Commercial Officer at Mixta Africa, and a speaker at the event, explained the market trends for developments that integrate living, working and playing, which means real estate developments are increasingly having hospitality asset classes as part of their portfolio.

She shared that sustainability influences the viability of projects, in terms of the physical structure, as well as the market performance.

Investors and infrastructure financiers are looking at the sustainability considerations and ESG metrics in the projects they fund, even as developing economies seek to address the challenge of building sustainable communities.

Dipo Adebo of DAA Architects who recently worked on the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja explained that for the international and regional hotel management brands, ESG and sustainability are requirements to meet the international standards, including the design and materials used in hotel construction.

One of the challenges faced is the localization of supply chains. A possible solution was for local manufacturers and construction workers to be upskilled and empowered to meet these standards, whilst remaining competitive, given the prohibitive costs of local manufacturing.

He highlighted the need for proper documentation, design documentation, planning approvals for buildings, structural integrity tests for building projects, and the responsibility developers have in the quality of materials and builders used.

He shared the need for regular inspections by key agencies to ensure the buildings are structurally sound, in the wake of the recent building collapses in Lagos State.

Godson Ikiebey, a sustainability consultant and speaker at the webinar highlighted the need for a comprehensive framework for sustainability reporting in the hospitality and tourism industry, together with the required capacity building and awareness creation, to ensure key stakeholders can work together towards a more sustainable future for Nigerians.

Overall, the hospitality, tourism and real estate industry is rapidly evolving, and as investment and consumer trends change, there will be a need for innovative solutions that address the need for more sustainable communities.

“The next webinar in the series will look at cybersecurity and consumer protection, and how ESG and sustainability thinking can address these security challenges for the hospitality and tourism industry”, Dr Adun concluded.

Total telecommunications solutions provider, Globacom, has added another award to its kitty with the recent ‘Africa’s Beacon of ICT Excellence/Leadership Award’ awarded on Saturday in Lagos.

The 2023 Africa Beacon of ICT and Leadership Awards was held at the Oriental Hotels, Lagos and attracted the cream of the nation’s and continents’ telecom sector including the President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, Director of Public Affairs, Nigeria Communication Commission, (NCC), Mr. Reuben Mouka, Regional Executive, (West Africa) at the Africa Data Centre (ADC), Dr. Krishman Ranganath and Digital Architect Manager and representative of Nigerian Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Falilat Jimoh.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Ken Nwogbo, Founder and CEO of Communication Week Media Limited, organisers of the BoICT Award, disclosed that Globacom won the award owing to  its outstanding contributions in the last twenty years, including the 3G and 4G technologies, Glo 1 submarine cable, in addition to its  unique products and services.

He added further that “The Beacon of ICT Award which was instituted to celebrate outstanding brands and the visions that birthed them has become one of the most prestigious annual awards in the nation’s ICT industry in the last 14 years”.

The organisers added that the award was also designed to celebrate individuals who have made sterling contributions in commerce and industry as well as government officials whose policies and programmes have had positive impacts on their jurisdictions.

The award was received on behalf of Globacom by the company’s representatives, Catherine Bomett, Director of Customer Care; Oladipo Olusanwo, Head of Gloworld Operation, and Obumneme Ikechebelu of Technical Department.