UNECA Chief Urges Bold Action to Boost Global Influence of African Brands
Speaking in Addis Ababa on Friday at the launch of the Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands 2025, Gatete emphasised the importance of unified strategies to ensure African brands are not only recognised globally but also influential. The event, co-organised by Brand Africa, UNECA, and African Business, celebrated the continent’s most admired brands, identified through a consumer survey conducted across 31 African countries. The survey serves as a key indicator of brand strength and public sentiment toward both African and non-African companies.
Gatete pointed to Africa’s growing middle class as a powerful force behind an expanding consumer market, projected to surpass USD 2.2 trillion by 2030, according to the African Development Bank. He noted that Africa’s branding landscape is evolving rapidly, shaped by economic transformation, innovation, and a youthful population.
Citing examples of African success stories—such as Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire’s advances in cocoa processing, Kenya’s fintech leadership, Nigeria’s creative industry growth, Rwanda’s environmental innovation, and South Africa’s industrial diversification—Gatete acknowledged the progress being made. However, he stressed that only a handful of African-origin brands have gained significant global recognition.
To address this gap, Gatete proposed five strategic pillars:
“A brand is more than a logo or slogan,” Gatete remarked. “An authentic African brand must reflect the continent’s stories, culture, and aspirations.”
With over 70% of Africa’s population under 35, the continent holds a unique demographic edge. Gatete highlighted that this youthful population is crucial to Africa’s economic future and its ability to build sustainable brand ecosystems.
He framed the call to action within the vision of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which seeks a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable Africa. Strengthening African brands, Gatete concluded, is essential not only for commercial success but also for reshaping Africa’s global image and value proposition.
