Key Points
- Chain Reactions Africa won the Large Consultancy category in the inaugural Africa Consultancy Performance Index.
- The Lagos-based firm ranked third overall among Africa’s top five PR consultancies.
- Its ranking was based on business performance, creative impact, innovation, talent and industry leadership.
Main Story
Chain Reactions Africa has been ranked the third-best PR consultancy in Africa in the inaugural Africa Consultancy Performance Index, while taking the top spot in the Large Consultancy category.
The Lagos-headquartered independent consultancy received the recognition at PRAXIS Africa during Africa PR Week in Nairobi on August 26, 2026.
South Africa’s Retroviral, Dialogue Communications, Clockwork and Burson Africa were also among the five highest-ranked consultancies.
The index, developed by Earned First, assessed firms across five areas: business performance; creative impact and client outcomes; innovation and thought leadership; talent and culture; and industry leadership.
Chain Reactions Africa recorded particularly strong results in business performance and creative impact and client outcomes, according to the organisers.
The ranking comes against the backdrop of improved financial and business performance by the consultancy. In 2025, the firm recorded 18.5 per cent revenue growth and increased its workforce from 44 to 53 employees. It also reported a 60 per cent success rate in winning new business.
Founded in 2010, Chain Reactions Africa operates across strategic advisory, creativity, technology, research and cultural intelligence.
Its recent work includes communications around LAMATA’s intra-city electric rail project, NIVEA’s SABI hygiene education programme and Indomie Heroes.
The consultancy said NIVEA’s SABI programme contributed to a 40 per cent increase in sales, while the Indomie Heroes campaign helped reinforce the brand’s focus on children and youth development.
Technology and audience research have also become part of its operations through Ara by Prophet, an AI and cultural-intelligence platform, and ÀRÁMÀNDÀ, an audience-intelligence and research platform.
Arun Sudhaman, Founder and CEO of Earned First, said the index was intended to provide a broad assessment of consultancy performance rather than focus solely on individual campaigns or awards.
The latest ranking adds to Chain Reactions Africa’s previous recognition at international and continental industry awards, including a second-place overall finish at the SABRE Awards.
Israel Opayemi, Founder and Managing Director/Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa, said the result demonstrated that an independent African consultancy could compete with larger international firms.
“To be recognised alongside and ahead of some of the biggest names on the continent is particularly meaningful. It tells us that an African independent consultancy can build world-class capability, compete with global heavyweights and remain deeply rooted in the realities and possibilities of our continent.” – Israel Opayemi, Founder and Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa
The Issues
The Africa Consultancy Performance Index evaluates PR consultancies beyond individual campaigns, using business performance, client outcomes, innovation, talent and industry leadership as its five assessment areas.
Chain Reactions Africa’s third-place overall ranking places an African independent consultancy among established firms and global PR networks operating across the continent.
What’s Being Said
“This means a lot to us at Chain Reactions Africa. We are deeply grateful for this recognition. It represents more than a ranking; it is an acknowledgement of the journey we have taken, the people who have built this consultancy and the ambition we continue to have for African communications.” – Israel Opayemi, Founder and Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa
“To be recognised alongside and ahead of some of the biggest names on the continent is particularly meaningful. It tells us that an African independent consultancy can build world-class capability, compete with global heavyweights and remain deeply rooted in the realities and possibilities of our continent.” – Israel Opayemi, Founder and Managing Director/Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa
What’s Next
The recognition places Chain Reactions Africa among the leading PR consultancies assessed in the inaugural continental index.
The consultancy is expected to build on its existing focus on strategic advisory, creativity, technology, research and cultural intelligence as it expands its work across African communications markets.
Bottom Line
Chain Reactions Africa has won the Large Consultancy category in the inaugural Africa Consultancy Performance Index and ranked third overall, placing the Nigerian independent consultancy among the continent’s top-performing PR firms.
