Sub-Saharan Africa
The countries of this region are viewed with much more positivity by those who live here than by a wider, global audience. All of the countries we measure in sub-Saharan Africa rank about 20 places higher in the world rankings determined by regional respondents than those resulting from the global survey, though the order of preference is only slightly different.
It should be noted that only five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are included in this aspect of the Best Countries study, so we are providing here a snapshot of regional perceptions.
South Africa is considered the region’s Best Country by the regional and the global audience, and performs well for athletic prowess, having a rich history, for having cultural and geographical attractions and for having achieved a high degree of racial equality. It also performs well on our Movers metric, showing that South Africa is seen as unique and dynamic. The country has climbed 10 positions on Movers since 2023, and five places for Agility in the eyes of a global audience.
The regional view of South Africa is of a country that is much more fun, friendly, happy, healthy and fashionable. Sub-Saharan African consumers see it as having a favourable tax system, a much more educated population than the rest of the world recognises, and sees it as significantly more innovative, modern and adaptable.
South Africa is a much-misunderstood nation in a much-misunderstood region. Global audiences have often viewed our region’s progress with more cynicism than admiration; where they have seen positive change, it has been viewed as likely to be one step forward, two steps back. Sometimes, those low expectations have been correct. To zoom in on South Africa, the country I know best, it’s true that the excitement around the end of apartheid was followed by a lack of pace in improving the lives of local people, and a time of great uncertainty for investors. This is reflected in the Best Countries data, which shows pretty poor perceptions generally of what this country and indeed the region has to offer the world.
Those of us on the ground here sense that recently, things have changed, and that many of these international perceptions no longer hold true. As we mark 30 years of freedom, South Africa in particular has a new sense of hope, energy and entrepreneurship; but the gap between global perceptions and local reality presents a challenge for brands from this region.
Bridging that that gap is a task in which brands can – and should – play a key role. Brands are ambassadors of nations; their strengths, described and demonstrated with authenticity and promoted with the pride they merit, can challenge and change perceptions. And nowhere else on earth needs better marketing than Africa.
Dono White
Strategy Director, VML, South Africa
Kenya takes second place in both the regional and global rankings of countries in this region, but while those respondents from the region recognise it as a country offering Adventure, Heritage and affordable living, these strengths are not seen by a global audience. Athleticism, cheap manufacturing and a lack of bureaucracy are the country’s best offerings on our global survey. Kenya is seen closer to home as offering a much higher Quality of Life (39 places higher than on the global survey), and for Adventure and Agility not yet well known beyond the region.
Zimbabwe is recognised within the region as offering far more Adventure and Heritage than a global audience perceives there to be; from outside, the country is seen as ‘unapproachable’, our study shows.
Similarly, Ghana is a far stronger performer within the region on Heritage, Adventure, Social Purpose and Quality of Life; globally, aside from athleticism and affordability, the country ranks in the bottom third of the Best Countries league table on close to every measure. There is a similar pattern for Cameroon.
Our data suggests that most people outside the region have little detailed knowledge of most of these countries, with the exception of South Africa, and that what they do know is largely limited to sporting results. The region’s countries are not yet known outside Sub-Saharan Africa for having strong consumer brands, and the perceived strengths of each country among fairly local audiences have not yet translated beyond the region.
