KAMPALA — MTN Uganda emerged as the biggest winner at this year’s Brand Africa 100 Awards, held at the Kampala Serena Hotel, where it scooped seven accolades including the prestigious Grand Prix Award.
The telecom giant was honored in categories such as Most Admired Telecommunications Brand, Most Admired African Brand (Aided and Spontaneous Recall), Most Admired Brand Doing Good for Society and the Environment, Most Admired Brand Contributing to a Better Africa, Most Admired Brand BRICS+, and the Grand Prix Award.
MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer, Sylvia Mulinge, said the recognition reaffirmed the company’s mission of expanding digital and financial inclusion across the country. “These awards show that we are delivering on our vision to give every Ugandan access to the benefits of a modern connected life,” she said.
The ceremony was presided over by State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Godfrey Baluku Kabyanga, who praised Uganda’s open economy and stable business environment as key factors driving brand growth.
Brand Africa founder and chairperson Thebe Ikalafeng noted that while African brands were making strides, they still faced stiff competition from global players. “If Africans don’t support African brands, we risk continued economic dependence,” he warned.
Local organizing partner, Publics Africa Communications, emphasized that partnerships between multinational corporations and local enterprises remain critical for boosting Africa’s competitiveness.
The Brand Africa 100 study, introduced in 2010, is recognized as the continent’s most authoritative survey on consumer brand admiration.
The 2025 research covered 31 countries—representing over 85% of Africa’s population and GDP—and was conducted in eight languages. Findings revealed that only 18% of the most admired brands originated from Africa, highlighting the dominance of international companies in regional markets.
Other notable winners included Coca-Cola, Movit, Rwenzori Water, and Uganda Baati.
As of June 30, 2025, MTN Uganda had 22.8 million subscribers, with 10.8 million active internet users and 13.3 million mobile money customers, underscoring its growing role in shaping the digital and financial ecosystem in Uganda.