In a statement on 18 February 2025, the Angolan embassy in South Africa announced that local subsidiary Volkswagen Group South Africa was considering building an assembly plant in Angola. “After consolidating its presence in South Africa, Volkswagen seeks to expand its business into new markets, with Angola being a priority,” the statement read.
A Volkswagen delegation met with Angolan ambassadors several days prior to discuss potential investment opportunities. The delegation noted its interest in the growing demand for reliable, high-quality vehicles at competitive prices, and expressed confidence that Volkswagen would be able to meet the demand. Having a local production base would also make it easier to meet the criteria of cost. The automaker also has manufacturing bases in South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Ghana.
Although continent-wide sales data is largely unavailable, Volkswagen is among the highest-selling automakers in several African countries. In South Africa, it was the second highest-selling car brand in 2024 behind Toyota. Toyota also led the Nigerian market in 2024, but Volkswagen placed in the top five and was responsible for almost all sales of electric vehicles. Several Chinese and Indian brands have also made investments into the African market in recent years, including Tata Motors, Mahindra, GAIC, and most recently, Zeekr.
