Nissan has stayed true to their mission statement of “built in Africa, by Africans, for Africa” after the Ghanaian president opened a brand-new state-of-the art Nissan Navara assembly plant in Tema, outside Accra.
President of the vibrant African nation HE Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo officially opened the facility after the journey for the 5000 sq. m plant came to its culmination a few days ago. The story began in 2018 when Nissan became the first manufacturer to sign a memorandum of understanding which strived to work towards the Ghana Automotive Development Policy.
Japan Motors, which is one of Nissan’s long-standing distributors in the country, was selected as a licensed assembler in 2020. Nissan Africa managing director, Mike Whitfield, said: “Less than eight months ago, the Nissan plant in Rosslyn South Africa passed its final test to be given the green light to start manufacturing the all new ‘built of more’ Nissan Navara. Right at that time, a key group from this plant graduated in the same plant, having received extensive and intensive training on the assembling of these vehicles.”
Whitfield further reaffirms a high passing standard for these African manufacturing facilities to be green-lit, using the Japanese automakers stringent criteria as a basis for the testing. The plant has been proof of a public private partnership between the government of Ghana, Japan Motors and Nissan Africa.
Whitfield further states: “The existence of this plant is tribute to the passion and commitment of Japan Motors investing US$ 9-million, which in itself would not have been possible without the security and certainty offered by the government of Ghana’s progressive automotive industry development policy which was signed into law in record time.”
The Nissan Africa managing director also stated that the Nissan Navara assembly plant is testament for the African automotive industry and should be an example of what can be done when there is will and vision.
