Nissan to Hike Pickup Truck Capacity in South Africa

Nissan Motor Co. says it will spend 3 billion rand ($215 million) in South Africa to add capacity and tool up to build the next-generation Navara midsize pickup truck.

The investment will expand capacity at Nissan’s factory in Pretoria to as much as 65,000 units per year from the current 35,000 units. The revamped Navara is due in 2020.

The project also will create 400 jobs in a country where unemployment is at 27%, Bloomberg News notes. Nissan says the Pretoria plant exports most of its production to more than 45 countries.

The South African expansion is part of Nissan’s previously stated goal of doubling its production capacity in Africa, India and the Middle East by 2022.