BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

Dangote Industries Limited has retained its position as Nigeria's strongest corporate brand for the ninth consecutive year, as indigenous businesses have, for the first time, overtaken multinational companies in the country's top 50 brand rankings.

The 2026 Top 50 Brands Nigeria report placed the conglomerate at the top of the national ranking with a record Brand Strength Measurement (BSM) score of 89.7, ahead of major corporations including MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and Access Bank.

Beyond Dangote's continued dominance, the report revealed a major shift in Nigeria's corporate landscape, with locally owned companies occupying 27 of the 50 leading positions, compared with 23 held by multinational firms.

The development marks a significant milestone for Nigerian businesses, which have historically faced stiff competition from international brands with stronger global recognition, financial resources and marketing networks.

Dangote's performance was particularly impressive in the areas of consumer trust, brand recognition and public relevance. The company emerged as Nigeria's most trusted brand and the first name that came to respondents' minds when asked to identify a company or brand.

It also topped the category of brands Nigerians said they could not do without, recording 30.3 per cent in spontaneous first brand mentions and 22.7 per cent in the 'Can't Do Without' category.

The report attributed the conglomerate's strong public standing largely to its extensive investments across key sectors of the economy, including cement, sugar, flour, fertiliser and petroleum, alongside its social intervention programmes through the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

Its growing influence in Nigeria's industrial and energy sectors also featured prominently in the assessment, particularly following the expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, one of the country's most significant private-sector industrial projects.

The refinery has further strengthened the Group's presence in the petroleum industry, a sector where Nigeria has traditionally depended heavily on imported refined products.

In the oil and gas category of the Top-of-Mind survey, Dangote ranked second with 18.2 per cent of responses, reflecting its growing association with the country's energy industry.

MTN Nigeria secured second position in the overall corporate rankings with a BSM score of 81.8, while Airtel Nigeria came third with 76.3. Globacom followed closely in fourth place with 76.1, while Access Bank occupied fifth position with 74.7.

Other Nigerian-owned companies that featured among the country's leading brands included Zenith Bank, BUA Group, First Bank of Nigeria and United Bank for Africa.

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According to the report, seven of the ten strongest corporate brands in Nigeria are now locally owned, further highlighting the growing influence of indigenous businesses in the country's economy.

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Evaluator of Top 50 Brands Nigeria, Taiwo Oluboyede, described Dangote's nine consecutive years at the top of the ranking as an exceptional achievement, attributing the feat to the company's sustained impact and the confidence it enjoys among consumers.

He said the latest findings reflected the extent to which Nigerians had embraced the brand, particularly considering its performance in the survey categories measuring public trust, first recall and consumer dependence.

Oluboyede also described the emergence of indigenous companies ahead of multinationals in the overall rankings as a historic development for Nigeria's corporate sector.

Reacting to the recognition, Dangote Industries' Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, attributed the company's sustained leadership to the vision and industrial ambition of its President and Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote.

Chiejina said the businessman's willingness to undertake large-scale investments in sectors critical to Africa's economic development had helped establish the Dangote brand as more than just a commercial enterprise.

He pointed to the Group's investments in cement, fertiliser, petroleum refining and petrochemicals as examples of its efforts to expand Africa's industrial capacity, create employment opportunities and reduce dependence on imported products.

According to him, the company's achievements reflect a broader ambition to demonstrate that major industrial projects can be successfully developed and operated by African businesses.

He added that maintaining the top position for nine consecutive years was a reflection of the trust Nigerians had placed in the institutions built by the Group and the economic value they generate.

Chiejina further noted that the latest recognition reinforced the connection between sustained investment, industrial development and public confidence, while strengthening the reputation of Nigerian businesses within and outside the country.

The report concluded that the growing presence of indigenous companies among Nigeria's most recognised brands reflects the increasing capacity of local enterprises to compete, expand their market reach and build lasting relationships with consumers through investment, employment generation and business development.