Nissan Assembly: Japan auto-maker Nissan has put plans to set up a vehicle assembly in Kenya on hold. The plans would have seen Nissan set up the car factory at a cost of Sh. 2 billion.
Emerging reports say that the plans have been put on hold based on the company’s change of strategy.
Instead of the assembly, Nissan will now focus kn revibing its brand throughout the continent in partnership with established car dealers.
“The idea to set up an assembly plant in Kenya will take some time; it is something we will look at in the future. For now, we want to push the brand’s visibility while staying focused on creating more enjoyable driving experiences,” says Nissan head of East Africa Max De Wit.
The reports further say that Nissan is also considering producing its vehicles at Isuzu East Africa plants, Simba Corp Associated Vehicle Assemblers, Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) owned by the Kenyan government, Al-Futtaim Group, and Toyota Tsusho Corp.
In the first quarter of this year, Nissan had announced that it would set up a car assembly factory in Kenya as it sought to penetrate the Eastern Africa and Southern Afriaca regions. The factory was due to open next year.
