KAMPALA, UGANDa – The 2024 Brand Africa 100 Awards, hosted by Publics Africa Communications, have celebrated Uganda’s most admired brands in a glittering ceremony at Fontis Residence Hotel in Kampala.
The awards, organised by Brand Africa, highlighted outstanding brand excellence in Uganda, with winners selected through a comprehensive survey conducted by Geopoll. Strategic insights were provided by Kantar, while Brand Leadership contributed detailed data analysis.
Coca-Cola and Mukwano Company emerged as the overall winners, honoured as the 2024 most admired brands in Uganda.
The survey revealed a notable insight that while 65% of Ugandans express confidence in local brands, only 35% actively consume them. This discrepancy reflects broader challenges faced by African brands across the continent.
Speaking at the ceremony, Thebe Ikalafeng, founder of Brand Africa, stated that these awards are a testament to the resilience and creativity of African brands.
“This year’s honorees represent the spirit of African entrepreneurship, innovation, and excellence, proving that our continent is not just a consumer of global brands but also a creator of iconic brands that are shaping our future,” Mr. Ikalafeng said.
He emphasized the need for greater support for local brands, noting that while Africans express confidence in their products, they often do not consume them.
“While 86% of Africans admire African brands, only 14% of the most admired brands are actually made in Africa,” Ikalafeng noted. “This shows that while African consumers admire their own, they often favour imported products over local ones.”
In her keynote address, Ms. Doreen Silver Katusiime, Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities praised the awards, noting that they align with Uganda’s vision of promoting local content and driving sustainable economic growth.
“Uganda is proud to host the Brand Africa 100 Awards, an event that resonates with our vision of fostering local talent and driving sustainable economic growth,” Ms. Katusiime said.
“The recognition of these brands today goes beyond celebrating success; it is about inspiring future generations of African entrepreneurs to embrace excellence and continue building the continent’s prosperity.”
Other notable winners included Centenary Bank, which received two awards: the Most Admired Financial Services Bank and the award for Doing Good in Society.
MTN Uganda was recognized as the Most Admired Telecom Brand and the Most Admired Brand for Doing Good in Society outside Uganda.
Movit was awarded the Most Admired Ugandan Brand in the Personal Care Category, while Stanbic Bank won the Most Admired Financial Services Brand (Non-Ugandan).
Nile Breweries received the award for the Most Admired Alcoholic Brewery, and Coca-Cola was recognized as the Most Admired Non-Alcoholic Brand.
Mukwano was honoured with the Overall Most Admired Brand award, while NBS TV received the title of Most Influential Media Company.
Toyota was recognized as the Most Admired Car Brand, and Samsung won the award for the Most Admired Electronic/Computer Brand.
Google was awarded the Most Admired Technology Brand.
The winners of this year’s Brand Africa 100 Awards will set the standard for excellence, creativity, and sustainability, guiding the continent’s brand development into the future.
