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Equity Bank retains title as Kenya’s most valuable brand for second year running

Banking sector continues to dominate the branding landscape, contributing over half of the ranking’s total brand value Equity Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, Co-operative Bank of Kenya lead as top performers in 2025 ranking.
Equity Group board Chairman Dr James Mwangi with executives during the release of Q1 2025 results
Equity Group board Chairman Dr James Mwangi with executives during the release of Q1 2025 results

The top 10 most valuable Kenyan brands have all experienced notable brand value growth in 2025, highlighting their resilience and momentum amid improving economic conditions.

Equity Bank (brand value up 8% to Sh71.3 billion) remains Kenya’s most valuable brand.

The bank’s continued dominance is underpinned by robust net interest income, a strong customer base, and a high Brand Strength Index (BSI) score, reflecting sustained customer trust and engagement.

Safaricom (brand value up 0.5% to Sh58.3 billion) retains second place in 2025, continuing to benefit from Kenya’s rapid digital transformation. 

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Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), maintaining third place with a 9% brand value increase to Sh54.8 billion, further highlights the strong performance of the banking sector, which has benefited from heightened consumer demand for financial services.

In fourth place, M-Pesa continues to thrive as a digital payment leader, leveraging increased demand for secure, convenient digital transactions. 

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Co-Operative Bank of Kenya and NCBA retain fifth and sixth positions, respectively, reflecting the continued strength and innovation of Kenya’s banking sector.

Kenya Power & Lighting Ltd (brand value up 4% to Sh16.6 billion) has retained its seventh position, with the rise in brand value attributed to robust revenue growth driven by increased electricity sales.

Tusker has risen to eighth place and has become the fastest-growing Kenyan brand with a 67% increase in value to Sh9.6 billion. This growth is largely driven by a rebound in consumer spending and the reopening of the hospitality sector.

I&M Bank has risen to ninth place following a 38% increase to Sh7.8 billion, reflecting successful expansion and innovation in its service offerings. Meanwhile, Kenya Airways (brand value up 8.5% to Sh7 billion) has dropped to 10th place despite increasing its brand value.

This increase in brand value is largely driven by the airline's financial recovery, fuelled by its strategic plan, Project Kifaru, which emphasises operational enhancements and exceptional customer service.

Brand Strength Analysis

Tusker has risen from fifth place to become the strongest Kenyan brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 97.1 out of 100.

The brand notes perfect 10 out of 10 scores for familiarity, consideration, and reputation within its home market, reflecting its deep-rooted domestic relevance and strong consumer trust.

Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) has retained its position as the second-strongest Kenyan brand, with a BSI score of 94.4 out of 100.

KCB’s commitment to digital transformation and innovative banking solutions have contributed to its brand strength, by expanding its reach and enhancing customer experience.

This is reflected in the brand’s exceptional scores in most research metrics, with scores of 10 in the attributes brand I love, consideration, and preferred brand. Insurance brand Britam maintains its rank as the third strongest Kenyan brand, earning a BSI score of 91.4 out of 100, and an equivalent AAA+ rating.

According to Brand Finance data, Britam performs particularly well across key consumer perception metrics, including reliability consideration, and price acceptance, highlighting its reputation as a trusted, accessible, and high-quality insurance provider.

Its solid brand equity reflects both effective customer engagement and a strong market presence within Kenya’s increasingly competitive financial services sector.

Equity Bank has slipped to fourth place due to a slight dip in its BSI score. Despite this, the bank continues to hold a robust AAA+ rating, reflecting its strong performance across key metrics such as familiarity, reputation, consideration, and customer preference.

Equity Bank remains a dominant and trusted player in the market, maintaining high levels of consumer confidence.

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Brand Finance defines brand value as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.

This is, however, different from the valuation of a company’s assets. They also define brand strength as the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors, rated out of 100.

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