Africa's Vehicle Production and Export Landscape in 2025
In 2025, Africa produced approximately 1.23 million vehicles, with 868,714 units exported by producing countries to various global markets, according to data compiled from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), Renault Group Morocco, and Tanger Med. South Africa and Morocco together accounted for over 91.1% of this production, contributing 53.3% and 40.8% respectively. However, exports from these nations experienced a decline of 6.6% compared to 2024, primarily due to a decrease in Moroccan vehicle exports. Notably, the combined exports from South Africa and Morocco generated a substantial revenue of $19.4 billion, reflecting an increase of 6.06% compared to the previous year. This figure constituted 59.2% of the total automotive sector exports from both countries, which amounted to $32.8 billion, marking a 9.33% increase.
Morocco: The Leading Exporter in the Automotive Sector
In Morocco, the automotive sector has maintained its position as the largest export sector in the Kingdom, with an export volume of 154.4 billion dirhams (approximately $16.54 billion, based on a 2025 average exchange rate of 1 USD = 9.34 dirhams). This represented 32.94% of Morocco's total export value for the year, which reached 469.07 billion dirhams. The automotive sector's exports significantly surpassed those of phosphates and their derivatives (99.8 billion dirhams), as well as agricultural and agri-food products (86.83 billion dirhams). In 2025, Morocco exported 454,443 vehicles, accounting for 90.53% of its total production of 501,965 units. Despite this impressive volume, there was a 15.74% decline in vehicle shipments compared to the previous year, attributed to a sluggish global market demand and technical and logistical challenges faced by Stellantis Morocco, including vehicle recalls and maintenance operations on assembly lines.
The European market remains the primary destination for Moroccan vehicle exports, benefiting from free trade agreements signed with the European Union, coupled with strong ties to European automotive manufacturers operating in Africa, such as Renault, Stellantis, BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen. The Dacia Sandero emerged as the most popular Moroccan-made vehicle in the European market, accompanied by other models like the Dacia Logan, Renault Kardian, and Peugeot 208.
In terms of value, vehicle exports generated a revenue of 61.30 billion dirhams in 2025, approximately $6.56 billion, reflecting a 13.6% decrease due to lower shipment volumes. However, despite these challenges, Morocco continues to outperform South Africa, which exported only 414,271 units in 2025, securing a 52.31% market share of vehicle exports produced in Africa.
As reported by afrique.le360.ma.
