Stellantis outlines Middle East & Africa regional execution plan
In a time when the automative industry is taking a different shape; Stellantis is executing on its Fastlane 2030 strategy. The African continent will have an important role to play, in the company’s target of 40 per cent revenue growth. And to detail that African strategy and the future of mobility in Africa; CNBC Africa is joined by Mike Whitfield, the Managing Director for Stellantis in South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:17:41 GMT
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Key Points:
- Stellantis sees Africa as a key contributor to its Fastlane 2030 strategy and 40% revenue growth target.
- South Africa remains Africa’s largest auto market at an expected 600,000 units this year, versus roughly 1.3 million for the continent overall.
- Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa is smaller at about 140,000 units but offers strong long-term growth potential.
- Whitfield said South African-made vehicles now account for only about 32% of the local market.
- Lower-cost vehicles sourced from India and China are reshaping competitive dynamics across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Stellantis plans to source Jeep and Peugeot vehicles from China and India, while Citroen products are already sourced from India.
- The company aims for 90% of vehicles sold in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 to be sourced from Africa or Asia.
- Stellantis has consolidated partnerships in key markets including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique.
- The automaker expects to operate with around seven or eight key partners covering most of Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Its South African Coega manufacturing project has been paused while Stellantis reassesses the most viable product mix for the plant.
- Micro-mobility is a major focus, with Stellantis preparing to expand products such as the Fiat Tris electric three-wheeler.
- The company will offer a mix of internal combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles based on local market needs.
- Leapmotor is being introduced in South Africa and could later expand into broader Sub-Saharan markets.
Topics
StellantisAfrica automotive marketSouth Africa auto industrySub-Saharan AfricaFastlane 2030Chinese vehicle importsIndia auto exportselectric vehicles Africamicro-mobilityLeapmotorFiat TrisCoega plant
Stellantis is deepening its push across Africa as it looks to capture growth in a rapidly changing automotive market, with the company positioning the continent as a key pillar of its Fastlane 2030 strategy and broader ambition to lift revenues by 40%
Speaking in a television interview, Mike Whitfield, Stellantis managing director for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, said the global automaker sees Africa — and especially Sub-Saharan Africa — as a major long-term opportunity, even as the region’s car market is being reshaped by new competitors, price pressure and changing mobility trends
Whitfield described current conditions in South Africa and the wider Sub-Saharan region as unprecedented, with traditional legacy automakers facing mounting competition from lower-cost products in South Africa, where locally made vehicles now account for roughly 32% of the total market
“We’re going through enormous change,” Whitfield said, pointing to the rise of new brands and the growing role of Asian-
South Africa remains the largest automotive market on the continent, with volumes expected to reach about 600,000 units this year He estimated the total African market at around 1.3 million vehicles. By contrast, the Sub-Saharan African market excluding South Africa is much smaller at roughly 140,000 units, but Stellantis sees significant room for expansion driven by population growth, urbanization and the emergence of a larger middle class
Whitfield said those fundamentals make Africa “the last great frontier for automotive,” underscoring why Stellantis is giving the region a more central role in its growth strategy. The company already has an established industrial base in North Africa, with plants in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, alongside a joint venture in Nigeria
That footprint, Stellantis argues, gives it a strategic advantage as it pursues a sourcing model designed to protect affordability and improve competitiveness. Whitfield said the automaker is increasingly focused on drawing vehicles or components from the right cost base, whether from within Africa or from Asia
In South Africa, he said around 64% to 65% of the market sits below the 400,000 rand price point, a segment heavily supplied by Indian-made products. In the 400,000 rand to 800,000 rand range, newer Chinese brands are becoming increasingly influential. Some of those manufacturers are also beginning to invest directly in South African production, adding to competitive pressure
For Stellantis, the response is not to engage in a simple price war, but to optimize sourcing and partnerships. Whitfield said the group’s relationships with China’s Dongfeng and Leapmotor, where Stellantis holds an equity stake, as well as its ties in India, will support that effort. The company alreadyns to
The group is also reorganizing its commercial structure across Sub-Saharan Africa. Whitfield said Stellantis has recently consolidated its partner network in major markets including Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique. Together, those markets represent about 65% to 70% of the Sub-Saharan region’s current automotive demand
Going forward, the company expects to work with roughly seven or eight partners across the region, with one key partner representing Stellantis’ portfolio of brands in each country. Nigeria remains a special case because of Stellantis’ joint venture with Dangote Industries in Kaduna province, where Peugeot vehicles are currently being assembled on a relatively small scale
Whitfield suggested Nigeria could become a far larger opportunity over time, given the country’s population of more than 200 million
On manufacturing in South Africa, Whitfield confirmed that Stellantis has paused development of its planned plant in Coega while it reassesses the product strategy for the site. The project was initially intended as a pickup plant, but the company is now reviewing whether that remains the most sustainable option as more competitors enter the pickup segment
He stressed that the project has not been canceled. Earthworks have been completed, and Stellantis expects to provide an update in the coming months once it finalizes which products could best support growth in South Africa and neighboring markets
Beyond conventional passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, Stellantis is also placing a significant bet on micro-mobility in Africa. Whitfield said the company views itself not just as a carmaker, but as a mobility business, with opportunities ranging from two-wheelers and three-wheelers to small electric commercial solutions
That strategy is particularly relevant in markets such as Nigeria, Uganda and Kenya, where micro-mobility is already playing a vital economic role. Whitfield highlighted the rise of battery-swapping and other low-cost energy solutions that allow riders and operators to keep vehicles on the road nearly around the clock, supporting entrepreneurship and income generation
Under the Fiat brand, Stellantis plans to roll out micro-mobility products in the region, including the Fiat Tris, an electric three-wheeler capable of carrying up to 500 kilograms
Electrification is also part of the longer-term roadmap, though Stellantis appears to be taking a pragmatic approach to the pace of adoption in Africa. Whitfield said the company will offer a mix of internal combustion engine vehicles, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and fully battery electric vehicles, depending on market readiness and infrastructure development
He noted that while battery electric vehicles will expand over time, plug-in hybrids may be especially relevant in the African context given the slower rollout of charging networks. Stellantis is already introducing Leapmotor in South Africa and intends to expand the brand into other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa
Taken together, Whitfield’s comments outline a regional execution plan centered on affordability, flexible sourcing, selective localization and broader mobility solutions. For Stellantis, the African growth story is no longer limited to traditional vehicle sales. It increasingly hinges on how effectively the company can adapt to shifting price bands, new Asian competition, uneven infrastructure and the region’s unique transportation needs
In Whitfield’s telling, that adaptation is now essential — and urgent — as the shape of the automotive industry continues to evolve
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