Photo | courtesy.
Equity Bank Limited and Safaricom PLC have maintained their lead as Kenya’s top two most valuable brands, according to the latest 2025 Brand Finance rankings.
Equity Bank emerged as the top bank with a brand value of Sh61.3 billion, marking an 8 percent increase from the previous year, driven by high net interest income, an expanding customer base, and a strong Brand Strength Index (BSI).
Safaricom followed with a brand value of Sh58.3 billion, recording a marginal 0.5 percent growth attributed to the company’s continued investment in Kenya’s digital transformation agenda.
The two firms held onto their positions for a second consecutive year, reflecting continued resilience in Kenya’s corporate sector despite a gradually improving macroeconomic environment.
Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) came in third with a 9 percent rise in brand value to Sh54.8 billion, while Safaricom’s mobile money platform, M-Pesa, ranked fourth at Sh30.8 billion.
In the fifth position is Cooperative Bank of Kenya, followed by NCBA Group, Kenya Power, and East African Breweries Limited’s flagship brand, Tusker.
Tusker registered the fastest growth, with a 67 percent jump in brand value to Sh9.6 billion. It also ranked as the country’s strongest brand with a BSI score of 97.1 out of 100.
“We are thrilled to see Tusker top the strength rankings. It’s a testament to the deep emotional connection it has built with Kenyans,” said David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance.
ALSO READ: “Repay Loans” – Banks Goes After Defaulters
I&M Bank and Kenya Airways ranked among the top ten, with their brand values increasing by 38 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively. The growth is largely credited to post-pandemic recovery and accelerated digital adoption.
Despite being the most valuable brand, Equity Bank dropped to fourth place in the brand strength ranking. Safaricom came in fifth, while KCB and Britam took the second and third positions, respectively.
Brand Finance defines brand value as the net economic benefit a company would achieve by licensing its brand in an open market.
“The increasing weight of intangible assets like brand equity is shaping capital markets across Africa, and Kenya is leading that shift,” Haigh added.
The rankings also revealed that Equity Bank and Safaricom remain the most valuable listed companies on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), helping push the NSE market capitalization past the Sh2 trillion mark, a milestone that signals improved investor confidence.
