Dangote Industries crowned Most Admired African Brand, inducted into Brand Africa Hall of Fame

Dangote Industries Limited has been named the “Most Admired African Brand” and inducted into the Brand Africa Hall of Fame at the 15th Brand Africa 100 awards, with Aliko Dangote also receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]angote Industries Limited, the Nigeria-based conglomerate founded by industrialist Aliko Dangote, has been recognized with top honors at the 15th annual Brand Africa 100 awards.

Also read: Dangote Cement crowned Dividend Paying Company of the Year at Nairametrics Awards

The prestigious ceremony, held over the weekend at Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, saw Dangote Industries named the “Most Admired African Brand,” based on a consumer-led survey conducted across more than 30 African countries.

In a landmark achievement, the company was also inducted into the Brand Africa Hall of Fame, becoming the first African-owned firm to receive this distinguished recognition.

Further celebrating his profound impact, Aliko Dangote himself was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive contributions to African industrialization and economic development.

The event, which celebrates brand leadership across the continent, also saw the inclusion of other prominent African entities into the inaugural Hall of Fame.

These include telecommunications giant MTN, mobile payment service M-Pesa, Ethiopian Airlines, and the Republic of South Africa, each recognized for their sustained consumer admiration and brand visibility over the last decade.

Speaking on behalf of the Dangote Group, Chief Branding and Communications Officer Anthony Chiejina stated that the awards reflected the company’s “ongoing commitment to industrial growth and regional development.”

We view this recognition as validation of the work being done not only at Dangote Industries, but also by African entrepreneurs committed to building globally competitive enterprises.

He added, “We view this recognition as validation of the work being done not only at Dangote Industries, but also by African entrepreneurs committed to building globally competitive enterprises.”

The awards ceremony coincided with the release of the 2025 Brand Africa 100 rankings, which presented a mixed picture of African brand loyalty.

While optimism about the continent’s future appears to be growing—with 68% of respondents expressing confidence, up from 64% in 2024—the number of African brands featured in the Top 100 list declined to a historic low of 11%, down from 14% last year.

Brand Africa Founder and Chairman Thebe Ikalafeng called this trend concerning. “This year’s rankings reflect a disconnect between African optimism and actual support for African brands,” Mr. Ikalafeng remarked.

“It suggests that belief in the continent has yet to translate into consistent consumer loyalty.”

Keynote speaker Claver Gatete, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for more strategic investment in youth-led innovation, regional value chains, and homegrown enterprises.

Mr. Gatete proposed the establishment of a Pan-African Creative Innovation Fund to help incubate and scale African brands capable of competing on a global stage.

While Dangote’s triple recognition was a clear highlight of the ceremony, the broader discourse around African industrial capacity, brand development, and economic self-determination served as a potent reminder of the continent’s ongoing challenges and the work still required to bridge the gap between aspiration and market performance.

Also read: World Bank appoints Aliko Dangote to private sector investment lab to boost job creation

This latest accolade follows Dangote Cement’s recent honor as “Dividend Paying Company of the Year” at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards in Lagos on May 23, 2025, further solidifying the group’s significant economic impact.

Peculiar Adirika