Nura Kemis 
Superbrands Project Director Jawad Jaffer with Council Member, Darshan Chandaria presenting the award to GSM 2026
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Celebrating Regional Icons: Superbrands East Africa Honours the “BEST OF THE BEST” at 2026 Tribute Awards;
- Celebrating Regional Icons: Superbrands East Africa Honours 2026 Tribute Awards
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Volume 9 honours 61 elite brands, underscoring almost two decades of regional excellence.
Superbrands East Africa, the region’s longest-running and most respected brand recognition program, hosted its 9th Tribute Awards on the 29th of January 2026 at the Sankara Hotel.
Spanning Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, Superbrands has become the definitive authority of quality.
Volume 9, in partnership with Mastercard, awarded 61 companies for their market dominance and resilience. In a historic first, the program also showcased 75 brand custodians, honouring the strategic minds behind the region’s most successful logos.
HONOURING REGIONAL CHAMPIONS
The 9th Edition highlighted a diverse array of winners who have achieved the prestigious Superbrands status – a seal that adds credibility and sets brands apart in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Notable winners recognised for their enduring consumer trust include:
· Kenya: Naivas Supermarkets, Chandaria Industries, Equity Bank, Safisha, and Festive Bread
· Tanzania: ITV, The Guardian, GSM, Amsons Group, Azam, Hisense, Tanfoam Arusha and Whitedent
· Uganda: Tembo Steel
The night’s top honour, the MVP Sports Category, was awarded to Tanzania’s Simba SC Football Club, received by club CEO Zubeda Hassan Sakuru.
Simba SC has emerged as the most successful Tanzanian club in international competitions, recently ranked among the Top 5 clubs in Africa by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
TWO DECADES OF EVOLUTION
Reflecting on the journey since 2007, Jawad Jaffer, Project Director of Superbrands East Africa, highlighted the program’s digital transformation.
“In 2010, we introduced consumer research where thousands of people voted on the brands, they trust the most.
Keeping up with the era of smartphones, we digitised over 42,000 brand profiles on our website,”.
He also noted the success of Super brands TV, which has garnered 15 million views on YouTube, and the recent introduction of brand portfolio valuation to help companies understand their true market value.
THE CEO LEADERSHIP PLAYBOOK FOR AFRICA;
A high-level, energetic panel discussion explored the driving forces getting the region’s top executives motivated to excel beyond borders in 2026.
Moderated by Shreya Karia (SHK Consulting), the session focused on what it means to lead on the continent today, bringing together industry titans Dr. Vimal Shah (Bidco Africa), Tom Sitati (Architect & Brand Strategist), Vikas Mehta (Former CEO, Ogilvy Africa), and Zubeda Sakuru (CEO, Simba SC).
On Untapping African Potential: Dr. Vimal Shah challenged the continent to “wake up right now,” noting that African leadership, with its inherent human element, is the most credible in the world. He urged a shift in perspective, stating:
“There’s a leader inside everyone, but in Africa we have repressed that leader because we’ve always been told that we’re donor dependent. The beauty is that this is breaking now. Let’s leverage the leadership traits we have. It’s our time to do things that make a big difference.”
On African Identity & Aspiration: Tom Sitati remarked on the profound sense of hope he encounters while working across the continent. “Africa is coming to itself. There is more pride and more ambition in what we do. We are all becoming more aspirational.”
On Borderless Unity: Zubeda Sakuru shared her perspective on leading in the high-stakes world of sports, where passion and Pan-Africanism collide.
“Being a young leader, especially a woman, I focus on objectivity. In football we’re driven by emotions, but you can get derailed if you get too emotional.
Regardless of our political or economic standing, football unites us and we work together. It’s about transcending national borders.”
On Empathy as Strength: Vikas Mehta reflected on the human element of the African market, noting that empathy is the secret to scaling brands across diverse cultures.
“The one value that carried me through is empathy…Understanding what motivates someone else is as simple as it gets.”
INNOVATION AND CONTINENTAL PRIDE
The evening was marked by the unveiling of the Volume’s hard book cover, featuring an iconic aerial photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro taken by renowned East Africa photographer Mo Amin.
