ABIDJAN, COTE D’IVOIRE—Global public relations giant BCW and indigenous African firms Clockwork and Razor (part of the M&C Saatchi Group) have all received double-digit nominations for their client work in the 2024 SABRE Awards Africa.

BCW, led by Blast BCW in Mauritius and Engage BCW in Kenya, received 11 nominations in this year’s competition, ahead of Clockwork and Razor with 10 each. The shortlist, which is published today, incudes finalists in 40 categories, spanning geographic sub-regions, industry sectors, and specialty practices.

There were multiple nominations for a host of other agencies, including multinationals Edelman and Ogilvy (eight finalists each); South African agencies Magna Carta and Tribeca (six each); Newmark Group and WE Communications (five); and ByDesign and Flow Communications (four).

“Once again, we have seen the wide range of creative thinking that African PR professionals are capable of,” says Paul Holmes, who chaired the SABRE judges. “These finalists all impressed the judges with their use of planning and insights, their creative content across multiple channels, and their real-world impact.

“It is clear that the best work in Africa stands alongside the best work we see in any of the more developed markets.”

The winners of this year’s African SABRE wards will be announced ahead of the awards ceremony, which will take place at the African Public Relations Association’s annual conference in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on May 16.

A complete list of finalists can be found here.