Superbrands East Africa has recognised 61 companies and 75 brand custodians at its 9th Tribute Awards in Nairobi, highlighting market leadership, resilience, and the growing strategic importance of branding across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Superbrands East Africa, the region’s longest-running and most established brand recognition programme, has honoured leading companies and brand leaders at its 9th Tribute Awards, reinforcing the rising role of brand equity as a competitive and economic driver in East Africa.
The awards ceremony, held on 29 January 2026 at the Sankara Hotel in Nairobi, brought together senior executives, brand strategists, and industry leaders from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The event marked the launch of Superbrands Volume 9, produced in partnership with Mastercard, which recognised 61 companies for sustained market performance and consumer trust.
In a historic expansion of the programme, Superbrands also honoured 75 brand custodians, acknowledging the individuals behind the strategic direction, positioning, and resilience of some of the region’s most recognisable brands.
Regional recognition and market credibility
Superbrands status is widely regarded as a commercial quality seal, signalling trust, consistency, and leadership in increasingly competitive consumer and business markets. The 9th edition showcased a diverse mix of companies that have maintained strong brand equity despite economic volatility, inflationary pressures, and shifting consumer behaviour across East Africa.
Among the companies recognised in Kenya were Naivas Supermarkets, Chandaria Industries, Equity Bank, Safisha, and Festive Bread. Tanzania’s honourees included ITV, The Guardian, GSM, Amsons Group, Azam, Hisense, Tanfoam Arusha, and Whitedent, while Uganda was represented by Tembo Steel.
Industry observers note that the cross-border recognition reflects deeper regional integration and the emergence of East African brands capable of competing at scale beyond domestic markets.
Top honour for Simba SC
The night’s highest accolade, the MVP Sports Category, was awarded to Tanzania’s Simba SC Football Club, underlining the growing commercial and brand influence of sports organisations in Africa’s entertainment and media economy.
The award was received by Simba SC Chief Executive Officer Zubeda Hassan Sakuru. The club has established itself as Tanzania’s most successful football team in international competitions and was recently ranked among the top five football clubs in Africa by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
Superbrands noted that Simba SC’s recognition reflects not only on-field success but also strong governance, fan engagement, and brand management in a highly competitive sector.
Two decades of evolution
Reflecting on Superbrands East Africa’s journey since its launch in 2007, Project Director Jawad Jaffer highlighted the programme’s transformation alongside technological and consumer shifts in the region.
“In 2010, we introduced consumer research where thousands of people voted on the brands they trust the most,” Mr Jaffer said. “Keeping up with the era of smartphones, we digitised over 42,000 brand profiles on our website.”
He noted that Superbrands TV, the programme’s digital content platform, has accumulated more than 15 million views on YouTube, demonstrating growing demand for brand-led storytelling and insight. The organisation has also introduced brand portfolio valuation services, enabling companies to better understand and quantify the financial value of their brand assets.
According to Superbrands, these initiatives reflect the increasing recognition of branding as a strategic business investment rather than a marketing afterthought.
Leadership beyond borders
A high-level panel discussion titled The CEO Leadership Playbook for Africa formed a central part of the event, examining what it takes to lead African organisations across borders in 2026 and beyond.
Moderated by Shreya Karia of SHK Consulting, the discussion brought together Dr Vimal Shah, Chairman of Bidco Africa; architect and brand strategist Tom Sitati; former Ogilvy Africa CEO Vikas Mehta; and Simba SC CEO Zubeda Sakuru.
Dr Shah challenged African leaders to embrace self-belief and indigenous leadership strengths, arguing that dependency narratives are fading.
“There’s a leader inside everyone, but in Africa we have repressed that leader because we’ve always been told that we’re donor dependent,” he said. “This is breaking now. It’s our time to do things that make a big difference.”
Tom Sitati highlighted a growing sense of pride and ambition across the continent, noting that African brands are increasingly confident in their identity and aspirations.
“Africa is coming to itself. There is more pride and more ambition in what we do,” he said.
Ms Sakuru, speaking from the perspective of sports leadership, emphasised objectivity and unity in emotionally charged environments.
“Regardless of our political or economic standing, football unites us and we work together. It’s about transcending national borders,” she said.
Vikas Mehta underscored empathy as a critical leadership tool in Africa’s diverse markets, describing it as central to scaling brands across cultures and economies.
Innovation, heritage, and continental pride
The event also featured the unveiling of the Volume 9 hard-cover book, showcasing an aerial photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro taken by renowned East African photographer Mohamed Amin.
Speaking at the ceremony, Salim Amin of the Mohamed Amin Foundation shared the story behind the image, highlighting the risk and commitment involved in capturing Africa’s narrative through visual storytelling.
“His work is iconic because it told the story of this continent,” Mr Amin said.
Superbrands organisers said the choice of imagery symbolised resilience, ambition, and continental pride, values they believe increasingly define East African brands on the global stage.
Branding as an economic lever
As East African economies face pressure from global uncertainty, currency volatility, and evolving consumer preferences, Superbrands leaders argue that strong brands offer stability, pricing power, and long-term growth.
By recognising both companies and individual custodians, the programme signals a shift toward valuing leadership, governance, and strategic vision as integral to brand performance.
Superbrands East Africa operates across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania and is part of the global Superbrands organisation, the world’s largest independent arbiter of branding.
