Nissan Sets To Launch Seven Models In Africa

Nissan Motor Co on Monday, June 29, 2020, announced that it aims to launch seven new models in Africa over the next two years, in a bid to penetrate the high-growth markets to try to weather the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

This comes a month after the Japanese automaker stated that it planned to cut the number of models it makes globally and improves efficiency after the pandemic triggered its first annual loss in 11 years.

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

He added that the automobile company plans to make Africa a hub for light commercial vehicles (LCV), which will increase the production of its popular Navara pick-ups and open plants in Ghana and Kenya.

“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 Reuters in a media call.

However, he did not disclose details of the investment and levels of production for the region, although Nissan said last year it would spend 3 billion rand ($174.07 million) on its Navara model.