Equip Auto Côte d’Ivoire targets industrial partnerships to drive Africa’s automotive growth

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

Equip Auto Côte d’Ivoire, an international automotive, mobility and industrial vehicles exhibition, is positioning itself as a platform to drive industrial partnerships, technology transfer and local manufacturing across Africa when it takes place in Abidjan from November 26 to 28, 2026.

The exhibition- expected to attract about 150 exhibitors and brands and more than 10,000 visitors, aims to bring together manufacturers, distributors, repair professionals, transport operators, agricultural machinery users, construction companies and industrial vehicle specialists to explore new business opportunities and solutions tailored to the continent’s markets.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting with stakeholders in Accra, organiser of Equip Auto and Chief Executive Officer of Interlinks Auto, Mr. Luc Azilinon, said the event was conceived to address the specific needs of the continent’s rapidly growing automotive sector.

According to him, many African businesses attend automotive exhibitions in Europe and other parts of the world but often struggle to find solutions that directly address local market realities.

He said the growth of Africa’s automotive market now provides sufficient scale to attract global industry players to the continent, where they can better understand local challenges and develop solutions that meet African needs.

Mr. Azilinon remarked that the exhibition would go beyond showcasing products and services and would serve as a starting point for long-term industrial cooperation between the continent’s businesses and international companies.

He noted that the objective is not merely to encourage the importation and sale of products but also to stimulate discussions around local production, industrial investment and manufacturing opportunities within the continent. “The fair won’t only be an exhibition place. It is a real starting cooperation point where international industrials will come to meet projects here in Africa and involve themselves in developing products locally,” he said.

The organiser indicated that participants from about 12 countries are expected to engage in discussions on distribution partnerships, skills development, technical training and the establishment of production facilities across the region.

He said bringing the exhibition to Africa creates an environment where businesses can focus on local opportunities and develop practical solutions for challenges facing the continent’s automotive industry.

Mr. Azilinon also highlighted electric vehicles and green mobility as key areas that would feature prominently at the exhibition. He said discussions would not be limited to the introduction of electric vehicles but would also address critical issues such as battery recycling, waste management, supply chains and the development of supporting industries required to sustain the transition to cleaner mobility solutions.

The exhibition will further spotlight agricultural machinery and innovation- exposing farmers and agricultural stakeholders to new technologies that can improve productivity and efficiency.

Mr. Azilinon said many innovations available globally remain largely unknown to African farmers, making it important to create a platform where producers, governments and agricultural equipment manufacturers can engage directly. “Discussions at the exhibition would focus on how governments and industry players can collaborate to increase access to modern agricultural technologies across the continent,” he added.

On the expected economic impact of the event, he said Equip Auto Côte d’Ivoire could help reshape the future direction of the continent’s automotive industry by encouraging solutions designed specifically for its markets rather than relying solely on ideas developed elsewhere.

Furthermore, he said the exhibition would provide an opportunity for the continent’s stakeholders to define their own priorities and work with global partners to address local challenges.

He also disclosed that discussions are underway with international development institutions, including the World Bank, to participate in the exhibition and engage with stakeholders on financing and development opportunities within the sector.

Deputy General Secretary of the Abossey Okai Spare Parts Dealers Association, Madam Gifty Lovelock Naana Fianu, in a post-event media engagement, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity for the continent’s businesses to move beyond trade and begin discussions on local manufacturing and industrial partnerships.

She said many African businesses traditionally travel to Europe and Asia to attend trade exhibitions, but the decision to host Equip Auto in Africa presents a unique opportunity for manufacturers and distributors to engage directly with businesses operating on the continent.

According to her, Ghana’s spare parts dealers are particularly interested in establishing partnerships that could lead to the production of automotive products within the continent rather than relying solely on imports.

Madam Fianu noted that the exhibition would provide a platform for the continent’s businesses to engage manufacturers on opportunities to establish production facilities and strengthen regional value chains.

She also expressed the hope that discussions at the exhibition would advance the implementation of AfCFTA objectives by promoting greater intra-African trade and improving access to quality products manufactured within the continent.

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