According to the latest survey by Brand Africa and Gina Din Group, Safaricom/Mpesa is the most admired brand in Kenya. It outpaces Coca Cola (US) and Samsung (South Korea), which are ranked second and third overall, including international brands.
Among Kenyan brands, Safaricom/Mpesa is followed by Tusker and Equity, with Safaricom/Mpesa continuing to be a leading force in Kenya’s telecommunications and mobile money sectors. In the financial services category, the top brands are Equity Bank, KCB, and Co-operative Bank of Kenya, with the Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed lenders remaining key players.
The survey, conducted by GeoPoll across 30 African countries, reveals that while 56 percent of Kenyans have faith in Africa, only 26 percent show loyalty to African brands. As a result, foreign brands continue to dominate sectors such as personal care, non-alcoholic beverages, technology, sports and fitness, and automotive.
Toyota remains the preferred car brand, followed by Honda and Mercedes Benz. In electronics and computers, Samsung is the top choice, ahead of Apple and Tecno. In technology, Google (USA) leads, followed by Microsoft and Jumia.
Other popular foreign brands among Kenyans include Nike, Adidas, and Puma in sports and fitness, and Nivea in personal care, followed by Kenya’s Softcare and Nice and Lovely. Naivas tops the retail category, followed by Kilimall and Sarit.
The top 100 most admired brands in Kenya are dominated by European brands (30 percent), followed by African brands (26 percent), North American brands (22 percent), Asian brands (20 percent), and Oceania brands (2 percent).
In a new category recognizing the most admired country contributing to a better Africa, Kenyans ranked Kenya as the top country, followed by South Africa, the USA, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Safaricom/Mpesa, Coca Cola, and Unicef (a non-profit brand) have been recognized as the most admired for their positive impact on society, the environment, and people.
Thebe Ikalafeng, Chairman and Founder of Brand Africa, commented that these results highlight the diversity and complexity of the Kenyan market, showcasing the strength of local brands that shape the country’s economy and identity.
Gina Din, Founder and Chairman of Gina Din Group, emphasized the importance of celebrating leading brands like Safaricom, Equity, and Tusker. She noted that these brands are not only shaping Kenya’s and Africa’s identity and driving prosperity but also redefining their global narrative and stature.
Kiprono Kittony, Chairman of the Nairobi Securities Exchange, praised these top brands as valuable assets to Kenya’s business landscape.
“As a custodian of the value for businesses, many of the brands that are not listed on our bourse, are among the most trusted businesses and the leaders we want to attract to the NSE to create sustainable shareholder value,”said Kittony.
The results are published every year in the June special edition of African Business, the continent’s foremost business magazine since 1966.
