This initiative is designed to empower senior government officials across the continent to unlock automotive production opportunities, affordable mobility solutions and catalyse industrial development.

Backed by leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) – including Volkswagen Group Africa, Isuzu Motors South Africa, and Toyota South Africa Motors – the ESC is a first-of-its-kind programme that aligns with the AfCFTA’s vision for regional integration and economic transformation through industrialisation.

“Over the last three years, and mandated by the AfCFTA Council of Ministers responsible for Trade, the AfCFTA Secretariat has been working with Afreximbank and the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers to pursue a strategic action plan that leverages the AfCFTA to develop an automotive value chain in a manner that enables industrialisation.

Also speaking during the opening session, Dr Gainmore Zanamwe, Director, Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion at Afreximbank, emphasised the importance of the ESC: “Afreximbank envisions Africa’s future with a thriving automotive industry driving economic growth and industrialisation.”

According to Nobuhle Renqe, Chairperson of AAAM’s Skills Development Working Group and Corporate Planning Executive at Isuzu Motors SA, the programme aims to address key requirements for the automotive industry.

“The long-term vision is to host the ESC annually, rotating delivery across Africa’s five regions in partnership with local institutions through TWIMS. Starting with this South African pilot cohort, we aim to foster a pan-African platform for knowledge exchange, skills development and self-sufficiency,” she adds.

TWIMS, renowned for its dedication to manufacturing education and research, will run the ESC programme. The pilot cohort includes 26 high-level participants from 19 African countries, representing senior government officials from North, East, West, Central and Southern Africa. Over the next nine weeks, the programme will explore technology trends, localisation strategies, regional value chains, industrial policy and include site visits to manufacturing hubs in Durban and Gqeberha, South Africa.

Participants will benefit from site visits to Toyota South Africa Motors, Volkswagen Group Africa and Isuzu Motors South Africa, gaining practical exposure to world-class automotive operations.

Also speaking at the launch, Andrew Kirby, Vice President of AAAM and President & CEO of Toyota South Africa Motors, praised the ESC as a critical step towards fostering sustainable growth and collaboration across Africa’s automotive ecosystem.”

In his keynote address, Reverend Musa Zondi, MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, underscored the importance of collaboration and visionary leadership in advancing the continent’s mobility agenda: “Let us continue to forge partnerships, create platforms and unlock new opportunities so that together,” the MEC says.

The ESC’s three phases:

• Seminar Week (in-person) – Classroom sessions and an on-site plant tour at Toyota SA.
• Online Phase (two months) – Virtual lectures and a strategic assignment identifying country-specific value-chain opportunities.
• Best Practice Week (in-person) – Held in Gqeberha with best-practice visits to VW and Isuzu.

Victoria Backhaus-Jerling, CEO of AAAM, says they are deeply thankful to Afreximbank for their commitment to developing Africa’s automotive value chain and to the AfCFTA Secretariat for championing intra-African trade. “We also sincerely thank Volkswagen, Isuzu and Toyota for their steadfast support of our shared vision to industrialise and grow the automotive sector across Africa.”