Nissan to pursue growth in Africa

Nissan Motor Co aims to launch seven new models in Africa over the next two years, the company executives announced yesterday, as the Japanese automaker seeks to focus on high-growth markets to try to weather the impact of the pandemic crisis.

The company also presented a plan last month to cut the number of models it makes globally and improve efficiency after the pandemic triggered its first annual loss in 11 years.

According to the launched plan, Nissan will expand its SUV and crossover portfolio in Africa with seven new models, of which four will be in the SUV (sports utility vehicle) category, Shinkichi Izumi, managing director at Nissan South Africa, explained.

Nissan plans to make Africa a hub for light commercial vehicles (LCV) by increasing the production of its popular Navara pick-ups and open plants in Ghana and Kenya, Izumi added.

Yet, he did not disclose further details of the investment and levels of production for the region, even though the company already announced last year that it would spend 3 billion rands ($174.07 million) on its Navara model.

“We are going to locally produce the new Navara model and we are also looking at export,” Guillaume Cartier, Chairman for Nissan’s Africa, Middle East, and India (AMI) region, told a media call, confirming the flourishing opportunities that the African market can bring to life.