by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – NISSAN is celebrating six decades in Africa with an eight-country to take drivers right up the length of the continent.
New Nissan Navara
Dubbed “Nissan Daring Africa 2024”, the tour will end in Cairo, Egypt.
Starting next week, the expedition will visit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya before reaching Egypt.
Nissan has been in Africa for more than 60 years.
The Rosslyn plant in South Africa today is the company’s light commercial vehicle (LCV) manufacturing hub for the entire continent, complimented by its plant in Cairo, which is its passenger vehicle assembly centre.
Represented in every country on the continent, Nissan recently opened up new markets, bringing North Africa into the Nissan Africa fold for the first time in the car manufacturer’s 90 year history.
“It’s all part of our mid-term growth strategy, to unlock the potential that this continent has as the world’s last automotive frontier by providing the best line-up of models to answer Africa’s mobility needs in a sustainable, safe and aspirational way,” said Sherief Eldessouky, Nissan Africa managing director.
At the end of 2023, Nissan revealed its expansion plans for the export of the South African-built Navara to the new markets including Algeria and Libya, with the Navara’s debut in Egypt planned shortly.
“This initiative is also a great opportunity for us to reconnect with people and places that this incredible company has been servicing for so long with such great success,” said Eldessouky.
The expedition is a highlight of Nissan’s 90th birthday celebrations last year.
“We are proving our promise that the entire range of the Nissan Navara which we build on the continent, is equal to the severest road conditions that Africa has to offer as we connect our two manufacturing hubs on either side of the continent as we prepare to launch the Navara into the Egypt market,” said says Nissan Africa Head of Communications and Public Relations, Ramy Mohareb.
Africa is regarded as the world’s last remaining automotive frontier because of the low level of vehicle ownership.
Elsewhere in the world the global motorization average is 182 vehicles per 1 000 people versus 42 per 1 000 in Africa.
“We believe in Africa, and we believe in this continent’s potential. Our mantra for the region is ‘Let’s Build’ and this expedition really is proof positive of that,” Eldessouky said.
– CAJ News
