Safaricom has been ranked the fifth strongest telecom brand globally, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 88.0 out of 100, according to the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2026 report. South Africa’s MTN follows closely in sixth place with a BSI score of 87.3.
Both operators achieved AAA brand strength ratings, placing them among the highest-performing telecom brands worldwide in terms of reputation, customer loyalty, reliability and recommendation metrics.
While Safaricom’s brand value stands at $431.1 million, significantly lower than global telecom giants, its high brand strength score signals deep-rooted consumer trust and strong market dominance in Kenya.
African Brands Lead On Strength, Not Scale
Brand Finance, the London-headquartered brand valuation consultancy, assesses brand value as the net economic benefit a company would derive from licensing its brand in the open market. Brand strength, by contrast, measures the effectiveness of a brand’s performance on intangible indicators relative to competitors.
According to the 2026 report, African telecom brands are outperforming many larger global players on brand strength metrics, even where their absolute brand values remain smaller.
MTN, with a brand value of $2.9 billion, continues to command one of the most influential telecom brands on the continent. Vodacom, valued at $2.8 billion, ranked 16th among the world’s strongest telecom brands with a BSI score of 85.6 out of 100, despite dropping out of the global top 10 this year.
Jeremy Sampson, Chairman of Brand Finance Africa, said African operators are increasingly dominating brand strength rankings due to their deep local integration and sustained investment in service delivery.
“While not as globally competitive in brand value, African telecoms brands dominate the brand strength ranking, with four African brands ranked among the world’s top 20 strongest telecoms brands in 2026,” Sampson said.
“Safaricom and MTN remain at the forefront, underscored by their deep local relevance, trust, cultural connection, and firm presence in the everyday lives of the people they serve.”
Safaricom’s Market Position
Safaricom’s strong showing reflects its entrenched position in Kenya’s telecom and digital services market, where it maintains market leadership across voice, data and mobile money.
The operator’s ecosystem, anchored by M-Pesa, broadband services and enterprise solutions, has helped cement its status as a default provider for millions of Kenyan consumers and businesses.
Brand Finance research indicates that Safaricom scores highly across reputation, reliability, preference and recommendation metrics in its core market.
Industry analysts say this reflects a combination of network investment, digital innovation and customer experience enhancements that have strengthened brand equity over time.
The ranking comes at a time when telecom operators across Africa are navigating rising operational costs, currency volatility and intensifying competition in data services and fintech offerings. Strong brand equity is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset that supports pricing power, customer retention and cross-selling opportunities.
Yas Emerges As A Brand To Watch
The 2026 ranking also identified Yas as a “brand to watch” in the telecoms sector. The operator debuted in the Telecoms 150 ranking with a brand value of $277 million and a BSI score of 84.8 out of 100, placing it among the top 20 strongest telecom brands globally.
Yas’ entry follows a major rebranding exercise consolidating operations across Madagascar, Senegal, Togo and Comoros under a single pan-African identity.
Sampson described the performance as one of the most significant brand transformations in African telecoms in recent years.
“Its success highlights how strategic brand consolidation, combined with a clear vision and consistent delivery, can drive growth, regional leadership, and lasting customer trust,” he said.
The move toward unified branding across multiple markets reflects a broader trend among African telecom operators seeking economies of scale, stronger cross-border recognition and improved operational efficiency.
Global Leaders Maintain Value Advantage
Despite Africa’s dominance in brand strength metrics, European giant Deutsche Telekom retained its position as the world’s most valuable telecom brand, with a brand value of $96.2 billion in 2026.
Since 2020, Deutsche Telekom has more than doubled its brand value, recording a 141 percent increase over the six-year period. It now ranks 11th among the world’s 500 most valuable brands and is the only European brand in the global top 20.
The company’s Brand Strength Index score stands at 83.8 out of 100, maintaining its AAA rating.
The divergence between brand value and brand strength highlights structural differences between mature telecom markets in Europe and North America and fast-growing African markets.
While European and US operators benefit from scale, diversified revenue streams and stronger currencies, African telecom brands are demonstrating higher consumer engagement and stronger emotional connections within their home markets.
Strategic Implications For African Telecoms
Brand strength rankings carry growing significance in capital markets and corporate strategy. Strong brands can support expansion into new service lines, improve customer lifetime value and attract strategic partnerships.
For Safaricom, continued strength in brand perception may bolster its regional expansion ambitions and support investor confidence amid evolving competitive dynamics in Kenya and beyond.
Kenya’s telecom sector remains one of the most profitable and technologically advanced in Sub-Saharan Africa, driven by high mobile penetration, mobile money adoption and digital services innovation.
The Brand Finance Telecoms 150 2026 report evaluated 150 of the world’s largest telecom brands as part of a broader assessment covering 6,000 global brands across sectors.
Brand Finance said its findings are based on publicly available financial data combined with original market research conducted through its Global Brand Equity Monitor, which surveys over 150,000 respondents across 41 countries.
The consultancy emphasised that brand value calculations are based on assumptions derived from available data and should not be construed as investment advice.
As African telecom operators continue to expand digital services, mobile financial solutions and enterprise connectivity offerings, sustained brand investment appears central to maintaining competitive advantage in increasingly contested markets.
