Demonstrating that established brands continue to hold sway on the continent, telecommunications provider MTN has retained the Best Brand in Africa title, clinching the Grand Prix award at the Brand Africa awards ceremony, in Johannesburg, on Thursday evening.

The South Africa-based mobile group was also named the continent’s Most Admired Brand and the Most Valuable African Brand.

This marked the second year in a row that the group, whose brand was valued at $4.67-billion, secured the top spot, edging out big-brand rivals Apple, which was named the Most Valuable Brand in Africa and valued at $128.3-billion, and Samsung, which was named the Most Admired Non-African Brand.

Other significant wins saw Nigerian cement group Dangote named Brand Builder of the Year, while Zimbabwe-based Econet Wireless founder Strive Masiyiwa was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Luxury consumer goods producer Yswara, Nigerian online shopping mall Konga and African fashion distributor Kisua were named the continent’s top Emerging African Brands.

The awards, now in its fourth year, revealed that non-African brands continued to dominate the top 100 brands on the continent, accounting for 77% of the most influential and valuable brands.

While only 25% of brands in the top 100 were Africa-based, Nigeria had now overtaken South Africa as the African nation with the largest number of top brands on the continent.

Some 21% of the most admired brands emerged from the US, while 11% were from Nigeria, 9% from the UK, 8% from Japan, 6% from France, 5% from the Netherlands, and 4% from Germany, Italy, South Africa and Kenya, respectively.

Two-thirds of the brands on the Brand Africa 100 list were those active in the electronics, apparel, automotive manufacturing, telecommunications and alcoholic beverages sectors.

Nigeria’s First Bank was, meanwhile, named the Most Admired African Brand in the financial industry, while UK-based Barclays topped the list of Most Admired Non-African Brand in the financial sector.

In the media category, DSTV was named Most Admired African Brand, while the BBC was awarded the Most Admired Non-African media brand.

On a regional basis, the Most Admired Brand in East Africa was Coca-Cola, while Adidas took the top spot in West Africa, Nike in North and Southern Africa, and Samsung in Central Africa.

Brand Africa founder and chairperson Thebe Ikalafeng told the audience on Thursday that the rankings were becoming increasingly significant, as they were an important metric of the progress made by the continent in creating brands and services that responded to African conditions, needs and ambitions.

“Simultaneously, they are a reflection and celebration of both non-African and African brands that meet the African consumer standard.

“But the time has never been more opportune or urgent for Africa to develop ‘Made in Africa’ brands. The success of businesses behind these brands will enable Africa to drive its own agenda because they create jobs, contribute tax revenue necessary to fund public goods and help shape the image of Africa as an entrepreneurial and competitive continent,” he commented.

Africa’s top brands were judged using mobile SMS technology by Geopol, which sampled consumers in 22 Africans countries that collectively accounted for 77% of Africa’s gross domestic product and 77% of Africa’s population.