Russian LADA cars will be produced in Ethiopia. The corresponding agreement was signed on Sunday by AvtoVAZ Export Director Ilya Savinov, and the CEO of Ethio-Engineering Group Suleyeman Dedefo, the local media reported.
As part of the agreement, Ethio-Engineering Group, that produces and trades automotive products will engage in serial assembly of LADA vehicles based on vehicle kits supplied from Russia. However, the parties did not specify which models of the brand will be assembled.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dedefo called on Russian companies to invest more heavily in Ethiopia's mining, agro-processing and technology sectors, assuring that the local government would provide all necessary support.
The Russian automaker is actively expanding its presence in Africa. Thus, in November, a company from Ghana received a license to sell LADA cars. According to the chairman of the Ghanaian-Russian Business Development Council, Lawrence Awuku-Boateng, negotiations are underway with AvtoVAZ on localizing the production of the Russian cars in the country.
As per a report by the World Economic Forum, the continent's automotive industry is projected to grow by nearly 40% by 2027. Research indicates that global exporters see the automobile spare parts market to be an attractive industry, as Africa has seen a significant 30% increase in imports.