Business
Dangote retains Africa’s most admired brand title for eighth year
Dangote Industries Limited has emerged as Africa’s Most Admired African Brand for the eighth consecutive year, reinforcing its dominance across industrial, sustainability and social impact rankings.
The company disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the recognition was announced at the 16th annual Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands rankings, unveiled in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the company, the survey described as Africa’s most comprehensive consumer-led brand study — covered 30 countries representing more than 85 per cent of the continent’s population and economic output.
In the latest rankings, Dangote emerged as Africa’s Most Admired Brand in aided recall, ahead of MTN and Vodacom. In the spontaneous recall category, it ranked second among African brands behind MTN and ahead of Trade Kings.
The conglomerate also retained its position as Africa’s Most Admired Industrial Brand and emerged as the leading African brand contributing to a better Africa, ahead of MTN, DStv, Shoprite/Checkers and Trade Kings.
The rankings reflect Dangote’s growing influence as one of Africa’s most recognisable corporate brands, driven by investments spanning cement, fertiliser, petrochemicals, energy, sugar, salt, packaging and logistics.
Brand Africa, however, noted that despite modest improvements in African brand recognition, indigenous brands continue to lag behind foreign competitors, accounting for only 15 per cent of Africa’s 100 most admired brands.
Speaking on the findings, Brand Africa Founder and Chairman, Thebe Ikalafeng, said strengthening African brands remains a critical economic priority for the continent.
“Converting goodwill towards African contribution into admiration for African brands is the most urgent commercial opportunity for the continent. It is not enough for Africans to believe in Africa; they must buy Made-in-Africa,” he said.
Dangote also ranked second among brands recognised for contributing positively to society, people and the environment.
Despite the dominance of international brands across Africa, Dangote remained among the continent’s highest-ranked indigenous brands alongside MTN and Ethiopian Airlines.
The three companies emerged as the leading African brands in the 2026 rankings, which were dominated by global brands such as Nike, Adidas, Samsung, Apple, and Coca-Cola.
According to the company, African brands accounted for only 15 per cent of the top 100 rankings, compared with 38 per cent for European brands, 28 per cent for North American brands and 19 per cent for Asian brands.
Further strengthening the group’s profile, its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, was named among the inaugural Africa CMO 100 (ACMO100) list, which recognises influential marketing, branding and reputation management professionals across the continent.
The initiative, launched by Brand Africa in partnership with African Business magazine, MIPAD and the African Media Agency, honours executives shaping Africa’s business narrative and driving brand growth.
Mr Chiejina was among 20 executives selected from West Africa and one of 17 Nigerians recognised for contributions to brand building, corporate reputation management and strategic communications.
READ ALSO: Dangote cuts petrol, diesel ex-depot prices
Brand Africa said the selection process was based on independent research, industry impact, leadership influence, and contribution to the growth of brands that shape consumer perceptions and economic outcomes.
The latest recognition adds to Dangote Industries’ growing list of accolades, including its induction into the Brand Africa Hall of Fame last year for consistently ranking among Africa’s most admired brands.
Its President and Chief Executive Officer, Aliko Dangote, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to industrialisation and building one of Africa’s largest indigenous business empires.
The earnings’ season is here once more, with the half-year period already gone past and the publication of corporate results set to commence any moment soon.
The largely positive investor sentiment that dominated trade in that period drove a sweeping rally in Nigerian stocks January though June. That positive has made the country’s equity market the best-performing in the world in dollar terms.
If half-year corporate reports come out stronger than they were a year ago, the market could ride on that momentum to turn out a fabulous yield that could meet investors’ expectations in the short term.
“Nevertheless, we expect pockets of bargain hunting to emerge as investors gradually position ahead of the H1:2026 earnings season, particularly in fundamentally sound stocks that have become more attractively valued following the recent market pullback,” analysts at Meristem Securities said in their note to investors last week.
“We also expect companies with strong earnings prospects and attractive interim dividend potential to continue attracting selective buying interest.”
PREMIUM TIMES has assembled some stocks with sound fundamentals, adopting rigorous approaches to save you the risk of picking equities at random for investment.
The pick, a product of an analytical market watch, offers a guide to entering the market and taking strategic positions, with the expectation that selected stocks will record reasonable price appreciation with the passage of time.
This is not a buy, sell or hold recommendation but a stock investment guide. You may need to involve your financial advisor before taking investment decisions.
Zenith Bank
Zenith Bank tops this week’s pick on the basis of its strong fundamentals and for trading below its intrinsic value. The lender’s net profit ratio (NPR) is 21.8 per cent, while the price-to-earnings (PE) ratio is 4.4x. Its 14-day relative strength index (RSI) is 41.6.
Unilever
Unilever makes the selection for its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the consumer goods company is 14.8 per cent, while the PE ratio is 21.4x. Its 14-day RSI is 14.1.
BUA Cement
BUA Cement appears on the pick on the basis of its attractive fundamentals. The NPR of the cement manufacturer is 36.4 per cent, while the PE ratio is 25.5x. The 14-day RSI is 0.
READ ALSO: Zenith Bank backs Canada-Africa Business Conference to deepen trade, investment ties
Coronation Insurance
Coronation Insurance makes the selection by virtue of its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the insurer is 19.8 per cent, while the PE ratio is 8.1x. Its 14-day RSI is 46.2.
UACN
UACN makes the cut based on its strong fundamentals. The NPR of the conglomerate is 2.3x, while the PE ratio is 26.2x. Its 14-day RSI is 53.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, against the judgment of Justice Peter Kekemeke of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Abuja, finding it liable for defaming former Minister of Power, Olu Agunloye over a social media publication of an alleged $6billion Mambilla Power Project fraud.
The Notice of Appeal was filed on Friday, July 10, 2026 by counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, SAN.
In the appeal contained in Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/1199/2024, the EFCC expressed dissatisfaction with the “whole of the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, Coram: Hon. Justice Peter O. Kekemeke, delivered on the 8th day of July, 2026….”
Specifically, the appeal was hinged on 11 grounds and four different orders. The orders the Commission is seeking in the appeal, are orders allowing the appeal, setting aside the whole of the judgment, dismissing Agunloye’s claim before the trial court in entirety and any other order the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the appeal.
Justice Kekemeke had declared in his judgment that the EFCC’s publication on Agunloye was false, defamatory and injurious to the former Minister’s reputation and awarded N10 million in damages against the Commission.
Shittu, in the appeal, also filed a stay of execution of the judgment of the trial court.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the appeal.
-
News1 day agoGagdi Defends Lalong, Accuses Dasuki Nakande of Meddling in APC Affairs
-
Entertainment3 days ago
JOGAMA UNVEILS THE OFFICIAL THEME FOR THE 16TH EDITION OF THE JOINT GOSPEL ARTS AND MUSIC AWARDS (JOGAMA) 2026
-
Business4 days ago
How Enugu Auto Dealer Chukwuebuka Ogbonna Allegedly Pocketed ₦15.4m Meant for Importation
-
News4 days ago
Meta enters the crowded AI coding battle with Muse Spark 1.1
