UNECA chief urges African brands to boost global visibility

ADDIS ABABA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Claver Gatete has called on African countries and businesses to intensify efforts to enhance the global visibility and competitiveness of African brands.
Gatete made the call on Friday during the unveiling of the "Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands 2025" ranking in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, which highlighted the continent's most admired brands.
With Africa's rising middle class propelling the continent's consumer market, which is projected to surpass 2.2 trillion U.S. dollars by 2030, Africa's branding story is equally diverse and dynamic across the continent, Gatete said.
He cited examples of African innovation and value addition: Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire in cocoa processing, Kenya in mobile banking, Nigeria's creative industries, Rwanda's green transformation initiatives, and South Africa's industrial base.
Gatete underscored the continent's demographic advantage, with more than 70 percent of its population under the age of 35, calling it "far-reaching implications" for sustainable development.
Despite this potential, he acknowledged that only a handful of African brands have achieved meaningful global visibility, a challenge that must be addressed through coordinated action.
To address the challenge, Gatete proposed five strategic pathways to integrate authentic African brands into the continent's broader development agenda and enhance their international competitiveness.
"It is imperative that we keep in mind that what defines a brand is not merely a logo or a slogan. An authentic African brand must straddle the embodiment of Africa's stories, culture, and aspirations," he said.
Jointly organized by Brand Africa, UNECA, and African Business, the Africa's Best Brands 2025 ranking was determined through a comprehensive survey conducted in 31 countries.

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