Senior government officials from across Africa gathered in Accra this week for the opening phase of an executive training programme aimed at accelerating the continent’s automotive industrialisation agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The Automotive Seminar Week, jointly organised by the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers and Afreximbank, is designed to equip policymakers with tools to develop competitive automotive industries, strengthen regional value chains, and attract investment into the sector.
The programme comes as Africa positions itself to capture a larger share of global automotive manufacturing amid rising vehicle demand and growing efforts to reduce dependence on imported used cars.
Vehicle sales across the continent have risen by 22%, according to organisers, making Africa one of the world’s fastest-growing automotive markets and increasing pressure on governments to develop local assembly and manufacturing capacity.
The seminar forms part of a broader push under the AfCFTA framework to build an integrated automotive market capable of supporting industrial growth, job creation, and cross-border trade.
Participants are expected to examine policies around local content development, supply chain integration, financing, and industrial incentives as African countries seek to create a more competitive automotive ecosystem.
The programme will conclude in Durban, South Africa, where delegates will engage with leading automotive manufacturers and present policy recommendations aimed at supporting industrial expansion across the continent.
Africa’s automotive sector has long faced challenges, including fragmented markets, weak supply chains, limited financing, and competition from imported second-hand vehicles. Policymakers increasingly see the AfCFTA as an opportunity to overcome those constraints by creating a larger unified market that can support economies of scale and attract global manufacturers.
The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers and Afreximbank have both been pushing for greater coordination between governments and private investors to develop regional automotive hubs capable of serving multiple African markets.
Supporters of the initiative say improving manufacturing capacity could help reduce import dependence, deepen industrialisation, and expand skilled employment opportunities across the continent.
