For the third consecutive year, Dangote shines among our table of the most admired African brands. Tony Chiejina, group leader and corporate communications manager, comments on the brand’s journey.
We are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the ranking of the best African brands. Whose Dangote has been a headliner from the start. Can you tell us about the evolution of your brand?
The Dangote group has gradually become a diversified and fully integrated conglomerate. The group’s interests cover a range of sectors in Nigeria and Africa. The core business of the group, which started its activities in 1978, is to provide local value-added products and services that meet the basic needs of the population.
Through the construction and operation of large-scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and 16 other African countries, the group is focused on building local manufacturing capacity to generate jobs, prevent capital flight and provide goods produced locally to the population.
The Dangote Group continues to reflect and evolve with the needs of our customers. True to its vision and mission to “meet basic needs”, and with a constantly evolving range of products, it remains relevant.
This policy has constantly attracted new customers and increased market share, while valuing old customers. Consumer experience indicates that our brand interacts and that our products are reliable, and this is evident in our ranking over the years.
How important is the group’s founder, Aliko Dangote, to the brand?
The presence of Aliko Dangote, our President and CEO, is very important; it represents the pillar behind the brand. In addition to being the founder, he is the icon of the brand and its face.
It represents a huge image capital on which other companies thrive. Her goodwill on the African continent and in the world has undoubtedly built and raised the brand’s love score. The name Dangote in Nigeria and Africa reinforces the value we offer. It strengthens reliability, respect, corporate responsibility and, above all, empowerment.
Africans seem to consume local brands but their aspirations are global, when they tell us what they admire, especially when we compare essential goods and luxury brands. What is your experience ?
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs calls for food, shelter and clothing as essentials of life. For any space brand, the important thing is to meet these basic needs.
Consumers still yearn for what they consume, but the actual choice also depends on willingness to pay for these brands. Our brands are sought after for the simple fact that they meet their needs on all key fronts. Dangote sugar, salt, food, cement, etc.
African brands have always represented a small minority of our Top 100. In fact, on average over the past ten years, their share has been around 20% and has decreased. Does this mean that Africans cannot compete with more established global brands?
Depending on your perspective on competition, African brands must first make sure that they meet the demand of the continent at an affordable price. Foreign brands are also struggling in their space and that is why their other destination is Africa in the era of globalization. African brands can therefore compete.
What do you recommend to ambitious entrepreneurs in creating a brand?
A brand is a tool of trust. Consumers tend to trust brands which place them at the center of their thinking. So always prioritize consumers. This phenomenon is also called consumer tropism. Make sure you meet their needs in the right place, at the right time, in quantity and quality!
Reference: https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/dangote-cement-an-african-manufacturing-success-story/
