Although some of the most dominant African brands are from South Africa, many other African countries also have big companies in various industries that are popular not only in Africa but also in various other countries. In today’s article, we have prepared a list of some of the largest African companies that are of various industries. Starting with some of the largest telecommunication companies in Africa, and ending with large supermarket chains, African companies have certainly made a huge impact on the African economy, and they will continue to do so for the many forthcoming years. So, le’’s take a look at the 5 biggest African companies you probably haven’t heard of before.
MTN Group
Starting in 1994, MTN Group started to provide telecommunication services to African countries. The company provides both communication services and network services. The company was initially named M-cell, and the main offices of the company are located in South Africa, Johannesburg. Being the largest telecommunication company in the entire continent of Africa, the company is one of the giant brands in the country. And in comparison to the worldwide telecommunication companies, MTN Group is the eleventh largest communication brand.
Sonangol
Sonangol was established in 1976 and works on oil and natural gas production in Angola. With its main offices in Angola, this particular company is the only one that has international representation outside Africa. Sonangol was possessed by the Angolan government. The corporation also has offices in Asia, America, and European countries. Sonangol has won numerous prizes for arts and sports support in Africa and brought exceptional popularity to an African company.
Sonatrach
The next African company on our list is Sonatrach, which is headquartered in Algeria. This particular company is in the oil sector and brings great revenue to the Algerian economy. The company is the largest in the country, having over 120000 employees. Sonatrach is managed by the Algerian government and is considered to be the eleventh-largest oil company in the world. Being this big of a company, it brings in 30% of the country’s national income every year.
Mediclinic Corporation
Mediclinic Corporation has been in the medical industry since 2012. This African corporation has a group of private clinics not only in Africa but also in various other countries, such as South Africa, Switzerland, and parts of the United Arab Emirates. Its main offices are established in South Africa. Medclinic Corporation was mentioned on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The private hospital group is famous for its passion to improve the lives and well-being of its people. The company shows excellent growth every year and has great potential to conquer more countries and international markets.
Pick n Pay Stores Group
And finally, the last company on our list in the top 5 largest companies of Africa is Pick n Pay. The company was established in South Africa in 1967 and has become one of the largest supermarket chains in the country. Having more than 55.000 employees, the company has various headquarters, including offices in Cape Town. Although the brand has made a huge name, Pick n Pay Stores has not spread its operations outside Africa. The company has supermarket chains in various African countries, such as Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and many others.
The bottom line
Of course, many other popular African companies and brands are not only famous in the territory of Africa but internationally as well. Such companies bring great income to the continent and have a very promising future. Certainly, Africa has great potential to show even more surprising results and create a more optimistic future for the upcoming generations. We will surely see new companies being established in Africa and becoming the leaders of the industries.
And if you still think that business in Africa is developing slowly, then you are wrong! Investors from all over the world are increasingly looking to Africa as a profitable investment object. All stereotypes about the unprofitability of Africa are in the past. In the present, investment in Africa has grown by 27% compared to the statistics of five years ago, due to Forbes research. Active investment interest contributes to the development of African business and an increase in the standard of living on the continent. A little more time will pass, and companies from Africa will take their place in the major world markets: maybe it will be the 5 companies that we talked about in this article, or maybe it will be startups that we have yet to learn about.