Brand Africa

What Brand Africa does

Brand Africa is a South African non-profit company (NPC 2013/146300/08) that conducts continent-wide brand research and publishes the Brand Africa 100, Africa's Best Places, and related rankings. Founded in 2010 and formally incorporated in 2013, it serves brands, governments, and policy makers seeking authoritative data on African brand perception and consumer preferences. Its core product is an annual ranking methodology built on a mobile-based survey panel of approximately 250 million respondents, operated in partnership with Geopoll, with research methodology supported by Kantar and Brand Leadership.

The organization composites its data into rankings, awards, and accompanying publications, and monetizes through awards entry fees, sponsorship, and partner contributions. It runs the Brand Africa Forum and a series of country-specific roundtables, with 2025 events expanded to Morocco and Namibia alongside its South Africa base. Brand Africa has also extended its portfolio with sustainability awards and Africa's Best Places rankings, diversifying beyond the flagship index. The business model is not commercial revenue-driven; rather, it is a non-profit funding structure reliant on partner and sponsor support, with no disclosed financial statements or ARR figures in the source data.

Name

Brand Africa

Legal name

Brand Africa NPC

Website

https://brandafrica.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brand Africa is a South African non-profit that publishes the Brand Africa 100 and related pan-African brand rankings, serving brands, governments, and policy makers with continent-wide consumer brand research and rankings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand Research & Rankings

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Consulting, Audits & Research (Brand Health, Equity, Competitive) (BPAFAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Brand Guidelines, Governance & Brand Management (BPAFAEAF)

Keywords

• Brand research services
• Pan-African brand rankings
• Market research surveys
• Brand advocacy initiatives
• Place branding rankings

Headquarters

HQ city

Bryanston

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Partner funding and sponsorships: Brand Africa is incorporated as a Non Profit Company (NPC 2013/146300/08) in South Africa and achieves its goals through the invaluable support, collaboration, and generosity of partners. The organization does not charge brands for rankings to maintain objectivity and independence. Entry fees for awards go towards funding research to produce rankings for Africa’s Best Brands and Africa’s Best Places.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Brand Africa conducts the pan-African Brand Africa 100 survey and ranking of the most admired brands across more than 25 African countries, as well as the Africa's Best Places ranking covering tourism, investment and citizen mobilization. It publishes annual reports around Africa Day (25 May), operates a Brand Directory of leading African brands, and runs the Brand Africa Forum, country/regional Roundtables, and Brand Africa 100 Awards. The organization does not charge brands for rankings; revenue is generated through partner funding, sponsorships, and awards entry fees that fund research.

Product overview

Brand Africa is an intergenerational movement to inspire a brand-led African renaissance. The organization operates as a non-profit company (NPC 2013/146300/08) incorporated in South Africa. Its core offerings are research and ranking services: (1) Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands - the most comprehensive pan-African survey and ranking of most admired brands published annually around Africa Day; (2) Africa's Best Places - recognizing and ranking best places for tourism, investment and citizen mobilization; (3) Brand Directory - a reference directory of leading African brands; and (4) Brand Africa Forum/Roundtable events for stakeholder engagement. The organization partners with Kantar, Geopoll, and Brand Leadership for research, with rankings published by African Business Magazine. These services collectively aim to drive Africa's competitiveness and create a positive image of the continent through brand leadership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands: The most authoritative pan-African survey and ranking of brands across Africa, conducted in partnership with Kantar and Geopoll.
• Brand Africa | Africa's Best Places
• Brand Africa FORUM
• Brand Africa Roundtable

Products and services

• Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands The most authoritative pan-African survey and ranking of brands across Africa, published annually around Africa Day (25 May). The comprehensive rankings analyze the most admired brands by consumers across over 25 countries that account for over 80% of Africa's population and collective GDP, covering five African economic zones and four AU languages.
• Africa's Best Places

Quantifiable outcome

• Survey covers over 25 countries representing 80%+ of Africa's population and GDP
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and regional.

• KantarcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Kantar provides strategic analysis and insights for the Brand Africa 100 survey. As a globally respected consumer knowledge and information company, Kantar brings rigorous analytical capabilities to the research methodology and weighting of brand rankings across Africa.
• GeopollcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Geopoll provides mobile-based surveying platform with a database of over 250 million respondents in emerging markets. Their sophisticated mobile SMS technology enables wider reach, higher penetration and expediency in conducting research across Africa's diverse populations.
• Brand LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Brand Leadership, founded by Thebe Ikalafeng, provides strategy and branding expertise for the Brand Africa 100 initiative. Led by Africa’s leading brand development, integrated marketing communication and activation advisory.
• African Business MagazineflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerAfrican Business Magazine publishes the annual Brand Africa 100 rankings. As the best-selling pan-African business magazine since 1966, they provide extensive media coverage and credibility to the rankings.
• PatronsmajorOthersBrand Africa Patrons are pan-African and regional institutions, organizations and distinguished high-profile individuals recognized for leadership and promoting Africa's ideals and advancement. They champion Brand Africa through association and endorsement.
• National PartnersregionalOthersNational Partners are non-governmental private organizations and government agencies established to raise professional standards and proactively create positive brand image, reputation and enabling environment for investment, trade, tourism and citizenship for their countries.
• International PartnersregionalOthersInternational Partners are non-African public, private and civil society organizations with focus on promoting relations, trade and investment between their countries and Africa, and invested in Africa's independence, growth and prosperity.
• Regional NetworkmajorOthersDiverse group of influential, respected and committed Africans and diaspora passionate about transforming the continent’s image. Network covers East, West, North, South and Central economic regions, key stakeholder groups including youth, civil society and business, Francophone and Lusophone language groups, and national leadership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• African Business Magazine: African Business Magazine is the publication partner for Brand Africa 100 and is the leading pan-African business magazine since 1966. It is comparable as a pan-African business media platform that shapes African business narrative and rankings coverage.
• Geopoll: Geopoll is the mobile-based surveying partner for Brand Africa 100 with a database of 250M+ respondents across emerging markets. Geopoll is comparable as a research infrastructure provider enabling pan-African consumer insight studies, and is a direct operating partner.
• Brand Leadership: Brand Leadership, founded by Thebe Ikalafeng, is the pan-African branding advisory that conceived and operationalizes the Brand Africa 100 initiative. It is comparable as a brand strategy and integrated marketing advisory focused on Africa.
• Kantar (BrandZ / Millward Brown): Kantar is the strategic analytics partner for Brand Africa 100 and also publishes the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands. Kantar provides the analytical methodology underpinning Brand Africa's rankings, making it both a peer in brand measurement and a key operating partner.

Broad incumbents

• Brand Finance: Brand Finance publishes the Global 500 and country-specific brand strength rankings and is one of the most established brand valuation consultancies. Comparable to Brand Africa in producing ranked brand league tables, though Brand Finance operates globally on a commercial consultancy model.
• Interbrand: Interbrand publishes the Best Global Brands ranking and operates as a global brand consultancy. It is comparable to Brand Africa as a brand valuation and ranking authority, though Interbrand operates globally and commercially while Brand Africa focuses on Africa and is non-profit.
• NielsenIQ / Nielsen Africa: Nielsen operates consumer measurement and brand tracking across Africa and globally. Comparable to Brand Africa as a consumer insights provider, though Nielsen is a global commercial enterprise with a broader research product set.
• Forbes (Most Valuable / Most Admired): Forbes publishes globally recognized brand and company rankings, including Forbes Global 2000 and Most Valuable Brands. It is comparable to Brand Africa as a media-driven brand ranking authority, though Forbes operates globally and on a commercial model.

Regional players

• Brand South Africa: Brand South Africa is the country-level nation branding agency and host of the inaugural Brand Africa Forum. It is comparable as a place/nation branding organization but operates at a single-country scope whereas Brand Africa operates continent-wide.

Emerging players

• Great Place to Work (Africa): Great Place to Work runs pan-African workplace and employer rankings with comparable methodology to Brand Africa (survey-based, partnership-driven, award ceremonies). It is comparable as a survey-based pan-African ranking organization, though focused on employer reputation rather than consumer brand admiration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BrandAfricaNetwork
• Xx.com/brandafrica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brand Africa