Recently, the backstage received a high-frequency question: Which brands are selling well in the African used car market? Can I still enter?

Let's explain it all in one go today-it's not empty, it's all the latest data and practical observations.

First look at a set of numbers and feel how big this market is

Africa imports nearly 5 million used cars every year.

What concept? Only about 1.2 million new cars are sold in Africa a year, andthe ratio of second-hand to new cars exceeds 4:1. More than 40% of the used cars circulating across borders around the world end up in Africa.

China exported about 410,000 used cars to Africa last year, a rapid growth rate-but compared with Japan, we are still far behind.

In other words: The cake was so big that we started cutting it.

African used car brand list: three echelons, clearly divided

The first echelon: Japanese

Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, and Mitsubishi-these five brands account for more than 70% of the used car market in Africa.

Toyota is the absolute king. Hilux pickup trucks, Corolla, Probox-everywhere. Why? Three words: accessories network. After decades of deep cultivation, the masters of the car repair shops in the streets and alleys of Africa have all grown up repairing Toyota. You don't have to wait to change a part. There are more parts to be disassembled than the original parts.

Nissan ranks second, while Navara pickup trucks and Note family cars are widely available in East and Southern Africa and are more cost-effective than Toyota.

Honda relies on Fit and CR-V to thrive in the home market. Suzuki's small cars have high penetration in East Africa. Mitsubishi's Pajero and L200 are just needed in areas with weak infrastructure.

Summarize the dominance of the Japanese system in one sentence: it is not that the brand is so good, but that the maintenance ecology of decades is too deep. It cannot be shaken in the short term.

Second echelon: Europe, America and South Korea

Hyundai and Volkswagen have stood firm.

Hyundai has a foundation in South Africa and North Africa, and Tucson and Elantra are good value for money. Volkswagen has traditional advantages in North Africa, Morocco and South Africa, and Polo Vivo is among the top three in sales in South Africa all year round.

These two brands belong to their own acres and three parts of land, but they cannot raise waves.

The third echelon: China brands

This is the fastest growing echelon. Three brands have already emerged--

Chery: TheSUV matrix is the most complete. The Tiggo series has blossomed in many places in South Africa, Egypt and Ghana. In 2025, Chery Group (including Omunda, Jaecoo, and Jetu) ranked fourth in South Africa, with its share reaching 16% in February this year. This year it also acquired Nissan's Roslin plant in South Africa.

Great Wall:Pickup trucks are the king. The Great Wall Cannon is a phenomenal product in Nigeria, and the Fengjun series is selling well in many countries. The brand ranks sixth in the South African market. Great Wall has gained recognition in Africa for the category of pickup trucks.

Geely:Economic cars + localized production in Egypt. Emgrand has bulk sales in Algeria, while Boyue and Binyue are growing rapidly in Egypt. Geely's factory in Giza Province, Egypt, is equipped with robotic laser welding lines with a localization rate target of 45%.

There are also several potential stocks worthy of attention:

BYD-the best player in new energy used cars. Ghana has zero tariffs on electric vehicles for eight years, and Ethiopia will only be allowed to import new energy used vehicles starting from 2025. Second-hand BYD has few competitors in these markets.

Jiangling--Yuhu pickup truck is growing rapidly in Nigeria and is a dark horse on the cost-effective route.

NIOis a new favorite in Egypt's high-end market. Within three years, quasi-new cars will have a premium among the wealthy.

Six countries, six styles of play

Nigeria: The largest market, just cut tariffs

Imports 200,000 - 300,000 vehicles annually, making it Africa's largest single market for used cars.

The biggest change is that starting from June this year, vehicle tariffs have been reduced from 70% to 40%. It has dropped by nearly half.

What does this mean? For the same car, the landing cost is directly reduced by several thousand dollars. Profit margins suddenly opened up.

Left rudder and car age no more than 10 years-these two thresholds are very friendly to China used car dealers. Great Wall Cannon, Jiangling Tiger, and Chery SUV are all popular here.

Judgment: This is the most worthy market for All-in this year. It is unknown how long the tariff window will last.

Ghana: The blue ocean of new energy used cars

The market size is not as large as that of Nigeria, but it is better in two key words-zero tariffs and fast growth.

The eight-year duty-free policy for electric vehicles will be implemented from 2024. Last year, China's second-hand car exports to Ghana increased by one-third year-on-year.

A large number of second-hand economic electric vehicles are shipped to Ghana as online ride-hailing. BYD and Wuling have few direct competitors here.

Judgment: Ghana is the first stop if you want to make a used new energy car.

Ethiopia: The walled garden of policy

Starting from 2025, Ethiopia will only allow the import of used new energy vehicles.

Fuel truck? No one is allowed in.

This policy is equivalent to building a moat for early entrants. Whoever lays channels first and builds after-sales will monopolize this market.

Judgment: Policy barriers = competition barriers and deserve priority.

Egypt: tiered market + manufacturing base

The new car market grew by 70% last year, with 173,800 vehicles sold in 2025.

The key feature isthe obvious stratification:

Mid-to-low-end (range of 50,000 - 80,000) traffic: Geely Emgrand and Chery Ariza 5 are popular.

Premium market: New NIO and BYD high-end models will be approved within 3 years, and there will be a brand premium among the wealthy.

More importantly, Egypt is becoming an African manufacturing base for China brands-seven car companies including BAIC, Geely, Chery, Chang 'an and Great Wall have deployed production capacity. What does this mean? After sales of used cars, local factories provide support, and maintenance parts are no longer a bottleneck.

Pure electric used cars are duty-free and are also a breakthrough in new energy.

Kenya: Hub of East Africa, but with a threshold

Kenya imports about 700,000 vehicles a year, with used cars accounting for 90%. Mombasa Port is the distribution center of the entire East Africa.

The only trouble is-right rudder.

China cars have a left-hand rudder. If they are exported to Kenya, they have to change the rudder, which adds an extra US$200 -300 to the cost of each car.

The good news is: Chery will start local assembly in Kenya in 2026. The electric vehicle tax exemption policy also grants the first batch of 100,000 vehicles.

Judgment: It is worth doing, but the cost of rudder change must be calculated well.

South Africa: New cars are the main focus, and the brand is popular

South Africa's new car market accounts for half of Africa, and the share of new cars by China brands has rushed to 16%(February 2026).

Although it is mainly new cars, the increase in brand awareness will penetrate downward into the used car market. After Chery acquires the Nissan factory, its after-sales network will be fully upgraded.

In the second half of 2026, five core judgments

First, it will be too late to start the tariff window in Nigeria.

Reducing 70% to 40%, the profit margin will directly increase. No one knows how long the policy will last. Those who enter first will eat meat.

Second, Ghana and Ethiopia are the best springboards for new energy used cars.

Zero tariffs + policy barriers, very little competition. Second-hand BYD and Wuling electric vehicles are a hit in these two markets.

Third, pickup trucks are the killer category of China brands in Africa.

The Great Wall Cannon has been verified in Nigeria-Africa's road conditions, usage scenarios, and economic patterns determine that pickup trucks are hard currency.

Fourth, Japanese brands make the base for volume, while China brands make profits.

Don't think about using China brands to compete with Toyota for the basics of Japanese products. The correct strategy is: Toyota and Nissan move to stabilize fundamentals; Chery SUV, Great Wall pickup truck, and BYD New Energy make differentiated profits.

Fifth, after-sales determines the ceiling.

The largest moat of Japan in Africa is not a car. It is a Toyota that any roadside repair shop can repair. If China brands want to establish a long-term foothold, they must establish a front-end warehouse for parts and train local technicians. There is no after-sales service, and the more you sell, the worse the reputation will be.

In the end

Africa's used car market is not a blue ocean-the Japanese has been deeply cultivated for decades. But it is definitely a structural opportunity.

Tariff dividends, new energy policy windows, and rapid climbing of China brand awareness-these three forces are combined, and the second half of 2026 to 2027 is the best time window for China to export used cars to Africa.

Opportunities are only reserved for those who are prepared.

Source: Xiong Yu, digital automobile export

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