Ghana has taken the lead and established itself as the automotive hub in West Africa – and international car manufacturers have noticed. With a ten-year tax break for the automotive industry on offer, they would be foolish not to.In August last year, Volkswagen officially expanded its footprint by opening a new vehicle assembly facility in Accra, the fifth such location in Sub-Saharan Africa. The first vehicle produced here was the Tiguan, but the company has said it plans to assemble other models such as the Passat, Teramont, Polo and Amarok in future.Nissan is another company that has focused on growing its manufacturing footprint in Ghana and recently sent 12 Ghanaian technicians for extensive training at its assembly plant in Rosslyn near Pretoria.The students received intensive training over 12 weeks, learning the finer points of how to assemble the Japanese automaker's Navara. Nissan has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Ghana and is set to open an assembly plant in the country. The exact timeline remains uncertain, but according to a spokesman for the company, the facility will also be in Accra and will be 100% Ghanaian operated.Toyota has also indicated that it is following suit and is constructing a new vehicle assembly facility in Tema. This facility is expected to be operational before the end of this year.FN9112Tel office: +27 31 536 3500 Block 2, Unit 2b, 100 on Armstrong, 100 Armstrong Avenue, La Lucia Ridge, Durban, South Africa, 4051www.hoeghautoliners.comWest Africa ServiceJebel Ali SharjahMumbaiPipavavEnnoreDurbanLuandaTemaDakar• Transhipment Ports Via DakarAbidjanLagosCotonouLomeNouakchottConakryPointe NoireDoualaBanjulMonroviaBataMalaboLibrevilleFN4562SD
