On January 23, Nissan Motor disclosed that it had inked a deal with Chery South Africa. Under this agreement, Chery will take over Nissan's manufacturing facilities in Rosslyn, South Africa. This encompasses the factory itself (along with the adjacent stamping workshop), the land, the buildings, and all associated assets. The transaction is anticipated to be finalized by mid-2026, contingent upon the fulfillment of certain conditions, including obtaining regulatory approvals.

As per the agreement, Chery South Africa will extend employment offers to the majority of the relevant Nissan employees. Moreover, the terms and conditions of their employment will remain largely intact.

Jordi Vila, the President of Nissan Africa, remarked, "External factors have taken a substantial toll on the capacity utilization of the Rosslyn factory and its long-term viability within the Nissan framework. Through this agreement, we can safeguard the jobs of most of our employees while also preserving development opportunities for our supplier network. This strategic move will also guarantee that the Rosslyn site continues to make a meaningful contribution to the South African automotive industry."

It has been reported that Nissan had earlier announced the closure of 7 out of its 17 global factories. The sale of the Rosslyn factory is a key component of its strategic realignment.

Post-acquisition, Nissan will persist in offering automotive products and services locally. Additionally, it has plans to unveil several new models in the 2026 fiscal year, including the Nissan Titan and Nissan Patrol.

Since making its foray into the South African market in 2021, Chery has amassed a customer base exceeding 60,000 local users. By acquiring the Rosslyn factory, Chery is poised to significantly bolster its localized production capabilities in both the South African and broader African markets. It will swiftly establish a large-scale manufacturing system by capitalizing on the existing land, buildings, and assets. This move will lead to cost reductions and enhanced delivery efficiency. Simultaneously, by onboarding former Nissan employees, Chery will rapidly gain local production experience and talent, thereby further solidifying its market share, elevating its brand competitiveness, and accelerating the execution of its globalization strategy in the African region.

Data reveals that Chery exported 1.344 million vehicles in 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 17.4% and setting a new annual export record for Chinese automakers.