…as Company Embarks on Daring Africa 2024 Adventure
DT Correspondent
NISSAN Zimbabwe has rolled out several initiatives to regain 30 percent of the market share despite the stiff competition in the local market.
The company’s market share currently stands at 25 percent.
“We want them to go back to the 30 percent; directly, we want them to regain the number one position. So, we are supporting them with the product, expanding the range so that they can have more models to import and sell to the Zimbabwean market,” Nissan Sub-Sahara regional general manager Linda Mazimhaka has said.
“They have managed through the tough economy, and we know that we believe in Zimbabwe. They managed to be resilient and provide good performance, which I commend the dealers for.”
The Japanese automotive giant has been at the forefront of vehicle production in Africa for generations, with its Rosslyn plant in South Africa acting as its hub for Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) manufacturing throughout the continent while its Cairo facility is the passenger vehicle assembly centre.
Mazimhaka added that Nissan plans to increase the annual sales of Navara from 11,000 to 17,000 units in Sub-Saharan Africa this year.
“It’s a daunting task, but we believe that with our partners on board and the product that can actually deliver to the expectations of the customers, we can achieve those numbers,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Nissan Daring Africa 2024 adventure has accomplished a noteworthy milestone. The expedition comprises a squad of drivers going on an eight-country journey that spans the whole continent of Africa.
They landed in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, on March 26, after leaving Rosslyn, Nissan Africa’s home of the Navara and they have now crossed into Zimbabwe. From Zimbabwe, the expedition will travel to Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and Egypt’s Cairo for its ultimate destination.
Nissan has been in Zimbabwe for almost 60 years of its 90-year history and this expedition is also a commemoration of that.
The Nissan Daring Africa 2024 voyage is evidence of the company’s long-standing dedication to the continent and its rich African heritage.
The convoy consists of five kitted-out Navara bakkies and a single X-Trail SUV. Zimbabwe has four accredited Nissan sales companies in the country, which include Clover Leaf, Croco, Amtec and AMC.
In 2023, a total number of new vehicles sold was about 6 600, which includes Nissan, Toyota, and Isuzu brands in the country. Toyota was the market leader with a 30 percent market share, but over the last two years, the pole position for market share has been exchanged between Toyota and Nissan.
