MTN retains its No.1 Africa spot

The improvement in MTN's brand value rankings reaffirms the mobile operator's growing prominence and continued relevance in the lives of its 164.6 million subscribers across its 22 markets in Africa and the Middle East.

"We are very pleased with our global ranking accolade. It shines the spotlight on our efforts to grow the MTN brand through differentiated offerings that go beyond merely enabling our subscribers to make a voice call, but to empower them to become active global economic citizens through access to world-class telecommunications services, including data," says Christian de Faria, MTN Group chief commercial officer.

"Being recognised as the only African brand in the top 500 Global Brands for two consecutive years is an inspiration. We have invested a lot in ensuring that MTN is reflective of our customers and our markets and what makes them so unique and special. From our sponsorship of the 2012 FIFA World Cup to our involvement in community projects in each of our markets, we are proud to connect with our customers in a meaningful way and to be recognised on a global stage," says Jennifer Roberti, MTN's executive for marketing.