Billionaire Dangote Group named ‘Africa’s Most Admired Brand’ at Addis Ababa Ceremony

Dangote Industries Named Africa’s Most Admired Brand at Brand Africa 100 Awards

At the 15th edition of the Brand Africa 100 awards held at Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Dangote Industries Limited emerged as the “Most Admired African Brand.” The Nigerian conglomerate, founded by renowned industrialist Aliko Dangote, earned this recognition following a consumer-driven survey conducted across over 30 African countries.

In addition to receiving the top accolade, Dangote Industries was inducted into the Brand Africa Hall of Fame — the first African-owned company to achieve this honor. Aliko Dangote himself was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his pivotal role in advancing industrialization and economic growth across the continent.

The awards ceremony, which spotlights excellence in brand leadership across Africa, also honored other prominent African names. Among the inaugural inductees into the Hall of Fame were telecom leader MTN, mobile money service M-Pesa, Ethiopian Airlines, and the Republic of South Africa — each recognized for consistent brand strength and consumer appeal over the last decade.

Speaking on behalf of Dangote Group, Chief Branding and Communications Officer Anthony Chiejina described the award as a testament to the company’s enduring commitment to industrial progress and regional development. “This recognition reaffirms the efforts of African entrepreneurs like us who are focused on building competitive global enterprises,” he said.

The event also marked the release of the 2025 Brand Africa 100 rankings. While optimism in the continent is reportedly rising — with 68% of survey respondents expressing hope for Africa’s future (up from 64% in 2024) — the number of African brands in the Top 100 fell to 11%, the lowest ever, compared to 14% the previous year.

Concerns About Brand Support

Brand Africa’s founder and chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, expressed concern over this decline, noting a disconnect between growing optimism and actual consumer support for African brands. “These rankings show that belief in Africa hasn’t yet translated into brand loyalty,” he stated.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General Claver Gatete, who delivered the keynote address, echoed those concerns. He stressed the importance of investing in youth-led innovation, regional value chains, and local enterprises. Gatete proposed creating a Pan-African Creative Innovation Fund to nurture and expand brands that can thrive globally.

Additional Recognition for Dangote

In a separate achievement, Dangote Cement was named “Dividend Paying Company of the Year” at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards on May 23, 2025, in Lagos. Themed “Capital Market as a Catalyst for Nigerian Economic Transformation,” the event honored organizations contributing to national economic growth and investor confidence. Dangote Cement stood out for its consistent delivery of shareholder value, surpassing nominees like Airtel Africa and the Nigerian Aviation Company, further cementing its role in Nigeria’s financial and economic development.