Chain Reactions Africa, the Lagos-based independent communications consultancy, has been ranked third among Africa’s top five public relations consultancies in the inaugural Africa Consultancy Performance Index.
The consultancy also emerged as the winner of the Large Consultancy category in the new ranking, which assesses PR firms across the continent on business performance, creativity, innovation, talent and industry leadership.
The index was developed by Earned First, a global PR intelligence and media platform covering Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. The results were announced and presented at PRAXIS Africa during Africa PR Week in Nairobi on August 26, 2026.
Chain Reactions Africa placed third overall in a field that included South Africa-based Retroviral, Dialogue Communications and Clockwork, as well as Burson Africa, highlighting the performance of an African independent consultancy alongside established regional and international PR firms.
According to Earned First, the Large Consultancy category was determined by performance across five key areas: Business Performance; Creative Impact & Client Outcomes; Innovation & Thought Leadership; Talent & Culture; and Industry Leadership. Chain Reactions Africa recorded particularly strong results in Business Performance and Creative Impact & Client Outcomes.
The continental ranking adds to the consultancy’s growing list of industry achievements. Chain Reactions Africa previously secured second place overall at the SABRE Awards and has also received recognition at the African SABRE Awards, World Public Relations Awards and Commonwealth Environment & CSR Awards.
Commenting on the inaugural ranking, Arun Sudhaman, Founder and CEO of Earned First, said the index was created to identify PR consultancies delivering strong and measurable results across key areas of their operations.
He said the framework provides a broader assessment of consultancy performance by looking beyond individual campaigns to factors including business growth, creativity, innovation, people and contribution to the wider industry.
Reacting to the recognition, Israel Opayemi, Founder and Managing Director/Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa, described the ranking as an important validation of the consultancy’s growth and its ambitions for the African communications industry.
“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,” Opayemi said.
He added that being ranked alongside some of the continent’s largest PR firms demonstrated the ability of an African independent consultancy to compete at a global level while maintaining a strong understanding of the continent.
Founded in 2010, Chain Reactions Africa has built its business around strategic advisory, creativity, technology, research and cultural intelligence.
The consultancy reported 18.5 per cent revenue growth in 2025, while its workforce increased by 17 per cent, from 44 to 53 employees. It also recorded a 60 per cent new-business win rate during the year.
Among its notable projects are LAMATA’s public engagement campaign around Nigeria’s first intra-city electric rail line, NIVEA’s SABI hygiene-education initiative and the Indomie Heroes programme, which focused on strengthening the brand’s association with children and youth development.
The consultancy has also invested in technology and research through Ara by Prophet, its artificial intelligence and cultural-intelligence platform, and ÀRÁMÀNDÀ, an audience-intelligence and research platform.
According to the company, women currently lead all of its business functions, while an 80 per cent staff satisfaction rate reflects its focus on employee development and workplace culture.
The Africa Consultancy Performance Index is designed to provide a holistic assessment of PR consultancy performance across the continent, using five evaluation pillars: Business Performance; Creative Impact & Client Outcomes; Innovation & Thought Leadership; Talent & Culture; and Industry Leadership.
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