africon conducted a market analysis on the automotive industry with specific interest in the automotive parts market in sub-Saharan Africa. Our focus was further narrowed down to the aggregate value of three main automotive service parts which are: Filters (consisting of air filters for internal combustion engines, as well as Oil or petrol filters for internal combustion engines), Spark plugs, and Brake parts. The total combined import value of these automotive parts in Sub-Saharan Africa was $753 million in year 2017. Brake parts recorded the highest import value worth $388 million which is 52% of the total import value of the three selected automotive parts combined, while spark plugs were the least of the imports valued at $58 million. Based on our analysis of the available data on automotive parts imports in Sub-Saharan Africa, we found that South Africa, Nigeria, Angola, Kenya, and Ghana were the top five importers of filters, spark plugs and brake plugs into Sub-Saharan Africa in the year 2017. South Africa being the largest market, accounted for 47% of these automotive parts imports worth $355 million, while Ghana being the fifth largest market was worth $21 million. The major export partners were China, Germany, South Africa, Belgium and USA. However, the data from year 2007 shows that Germany was the largest exporter of these automotive parts to the Sub-Saharan Africa region until 2013 when China took over as the largest exporter to the region. Brake parts were also the largest exports (of the three parts) from China and Germany while Filters were the largest exports from South Africa, Belgium and USA

1. 16/05/2019 1© africon GmbH 2019
Imports of Automotive Service Parts into Sub-Saharan Africa
In 2017, Nigeria recorded the second largest imports of filters, brake
parts and spark plugs in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Source:UNComtradeData(2019),africonAnalysis(2019)
Automotive parts imports into Sub-saharan Africa
(2017, In %)
Automotive parts imports into Sub-saharan Africa
(2017, In million USD)
47%
15%
4%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
17%
South Africa Nigeria Angola Kenya
Ghana Namibia Tanzania Botswana
Zimbabwe Zambia Others
**HS Codes: 870830 - Brakes and servo-brakes and their parts. 842131 - Intake air filters for internal combustion engines.
851110 - Sparking plugs. 842123 - Oil or petrol filters for internal combustion engines.
Key Export Partners: China, Germany, South Africa, Belgium and USA
115
11
8
24
21
18
8
12
355
30
19 15 15
14 12