The meeting with Engineer Mohamed Abdel Samad, Managing Director of Nissan Africa, focused on turning Egypt into a regional manufacturing hub. Also in attendance were Dr. Jihan Saleh, economic advisor to the prime minister, and senior ministry officials specializing in industrial research and automotive development.
Nissan outlined its strategy to scale up production and
launch a labor training program in coordination with the Productivity and
Vocational Training Department (PVTD).
The company aims to become the top car exporter to Africa,
having already shipped 25,000 vehicles to the continent over the past three
years. Nissan has increased its passenger car production to 30,000 units in the
current fiscal year, securing a leading position in the Egyptian market.
"The Egyptian state attaches great importance to the
automotive industry," Minister Hashem said, citing the country's
competitive advantages and its strategic location linking African, Arab, and
European markets through various free trade agreements.
The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to
localizing the automotive and feeder industries to reduce imports and attract
global manufacturers. He noted a recent growth in the number of local component
factories and stressed the need for further investment to increase the
percentage of Egyptian-made parts in vehicle assembly.
Engineer Abdel Samad invited the Minister to visit Nissan’s factory soon to inaugurate a new production line. The facility is expected to produce an additional 10,000 cars in its first year of operation, with a local component rate exceeding 50 percent.