“We see Africa as a big opportunity,” says Guillaume Cartier, senior vice-president and chairman for Africa, the Middle East and India region at carmaker Nissan.
“The market will grow,” Cartier says. He points to the continent’s sizeable population – “it’s big.”
Auto ownership is not as high nor as saturated as other more mature markets. Most importantly, “there is potential.”
Nissan is looking at, among other opportunities on the continent, first-time buyers and government fleet solutions.
Also read: Exponential growth possible for Africa’s automotive industry
“Africa is fascinating. What we have to look at is how we can onboard the first-time buyer. This is a large part of the market – it’s nothing compared to Europe, the US, where you have to renew customers. That is one big category,” says Cartier
The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement is critical in this respect.
The free trade agreement will help drive that potential and turn it into tangible outcomes.
