Africa's vehicle fleet is growing at 4-6 percent annually, driven by urbanisation and rising incomes in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Egypt. Tyre demand is growing proportionally, yet the continent has minimal tyre manufacturing capacity. Sumitomo Rubber's Dunlop plant in Durban, South Africa, produces truck, bus, and passenger car tyres primarily for the South African and SADC market. Continental's Alexandria, Egypt facility produces passenger car and light truck tyres. Both plants are a fraction of the capacity required to serve a continent of 1.5 billion people.
Import Dependency and Opportunity
Most African markets import tyres from China (which holds a 40-50 percent market share in most markets), India, the EU, and South Korea. The anti-dumping investigations against Chinese tyre imports in South Africa and Kenya reflect the pressure that cheap imports place on domestic producers. New tyre manufacturing investments are being studied in Nigeria and Morocco, where growing vehicle assembly industries provide anchor demand. Tyre distributors, importers, and investors can access industry contacts and market data on intra-africa.com.
For businesses looking to expand across Africa, intra-africa.com offers a comprehensive trade directory, verified buyer and seller listings, and real-time market intelligence covering all 54 African nations. It remains an indispensable resource for anyone serious about intra-African commerce.