Nissan has appointed longtime partner Japan Motors Trading Co. as its local partner in an all-new vehicle assembly facility in Accra.
The appointment is a result of the 2018 memorandum of understanding between Nissan and the government of Ghana to lay the foundation for a sustainable automotive manufacturing industry in the country.
The first model to be assembled at the new facility will be the all-new Nissan Navara pickup, unveiled by Nissan earlier this month. Nissan has a long heritage within the pickup segment and the new model will be produced to specifications created for the African market.
The continued development of Nissan’s African manufacturing base is a key part of the company’s regional midterm strategy under the Nissan NEXT global transformation plan. Once operational, the Ghana facility will add to Nissan’s existing African production capacity at plants in South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria.
The announcement demonstrates Nissan’s ongoing commitment to investing in Ghana, as well as the expansion of the country’s automotive sector through the Ghana Automotive Development Policy.
“Ghana presents a great opportunity for investment, partnership and growth for Nissan,” said Shinkichi Izumi, managing director of Nissan Africa South. “Establishing a long-term automotive industrial development policy will provide investors with further confidence, boost the local economy and create jobs. We look forward to the continued partnership as Japan Motors officially begins assembling Nissan vehicles in Ghana.”
Construction of the new facility is already underway, as are the recruitment and appointment of new employees, skills development and technical training to share and apply Nissan’s global quality production standards.
“Japan Motors sees great potential in Ghana,” said Salem Kalmoni, managing director of Japan Motors. “We’re thrilled to make this significant investment and to be in a partnership that will unlock job opportunities and contribute to the economic development of Ghana. With world-class training, the local assembly plant will deliver an excellent product to meet our customers’ needs.”
About Nissan in South Africa
Nissan South Africa is the operational hub for Regional Business Unit South, serving Nissan’s key South Africa market and 45 other countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria as well as the key Southern African markets of Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. In South Africa, the company offers a range of 24 vehicles under the Nissan and Datsun brands, including the popular locally-produced Nissan light commercial vehicles – the NP200 half ton pickup and NP300 one-ton Hardbody – produced at the company’s Rosslyn plant, north west of Pretoria. Nissan made history locally in 2013 with the introduction of Africa’s first electric vehicle, Nissan’s flagship Nissan LEAF. As well as boasting zero emissions leadership, Nissan is also a leader in the crossover segment. Among its product offerings are the all-new Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, as well as Juke. The Datsun brand has re-established Nissan in the entry-level market where the tailor-made Datsun GO is breaking new ground in the ‘riser’ market segment.
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