ISUZU Motors South Africa is setting its sights on becoming the main hub for commercial truck production across the African continent. President and CEO Billy Tom revealed in an interview with Reuters that talks are already underway with the company’s headquarters in Japan to shift production from Asia to Africa.
According to Tom, the vision is simple: “Instead of producing vehicles in Japan, we’ve got a facility in Africa. We can produce the vehicles here.” The move signals a major shift, as the company has already tested assembling trucks locally, though some bodies still arrive from China and the Middle East.
Currently, the South African plant produces the Isuzu D-MAX pickups, assembles medium-heavy and extra-heavy trucks, and imports the MU-X SUV for African distribution. While truck exports within Africa remain modest, Isuzu’s pickups are already reaching more than 30 countries. Expansion will begin in West Africa before scaling further.
The company’s African production share has grown from 15% six years ago to around 23% today, with ambitions to hit 45%. Tom believes the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will be a game-changer, opening doors to smoother trade, even though fewer than half of its members currently trade under zero-tariff rules.
But the path isn’t without challenges. Rising Chinese imports are squeezing local manufacturers, while competitors like Toyota, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz are also weighing their options. South Africa’s auto industry is under pressure to boost local content from 39% to 60% by 2035 and scale annual vehicle production from 600,000 units to as high as 1.5 million.
Tom warns that without urgent action, South Africa faces the risk of deindustrialisation, as imports already make up 64% of vehicle sales. The government is now reviewing the impact through its trade authority, signaling that the battle for Africa’s auto future has just begun.
