President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned Phase III of Zonda Tec Ghana’s assembly plant at Tema in the Greater Accra Region, describing the expansion works as fulfilment of the vision of the nation’s founding fathers for an industrialised, self-reliant Ghana.
President Mahama said every new manufacturing investment in the country demonstrated that the nation’s freedom would be meaningful only if it was backed by economic self-sufficiency.
“Today, we continue to pursue that vision,” he added.
Zonda
The President described Zonda’s rise as a remarkable Ghanaian success story, tracing its roots to 2010, when its Chief Executive Officer, Madam Yang Yang, started out as a vehicle distributor.
A section of the assembly plant
Through determination, strategic direction and continuous investment, the company had grown into a leading assembler of heavy-duty vehicles, SUVs, small cars, sport vehicles and light trucks from some of China’s leading automotive brands into one of the most modern assembly facilities in the West African sub-region.
President Mahama said the Phase III expansion would raise Zonda’s annual production capacity to approximately 3,000 heavy and light-duty vehicles, including tipper trucks, cargo trucks, trailers, semi-trailers and tankers, all assembled to internationally recognised standards.
Regional attention
The President said that the plant’s growing profile had drawn the attention of the sub-region, recalling a recent visit by the President of Gabon, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who toured the assembly lines and described them as evidence of Africa’s capacity to build a competitive manufacturing base.
President John Dramani Mahama (2nd from right), with Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare (right), Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and other dignitaries being briefed about the products
“When a fellow head of state visits an unfamiliar factory floor, it tells us something important — the rest of Africa is watching what we are building here in Ghana and is impressed by what it sees,” he said.
President Mahama said when the Gabonese leader tried to persuade Madam Yang Yang to open a plant in Gabon, she politely declined and said: “Ghana is my home, and if he wants vehicles, I will export from Ghana to Gabon.”
He described the episode as demonstrating what was possible when private enterprise aligned with national aspirations through the creation of an enabling environment for investment.
Global figures
President Mahama said that the automotive sector remained one of the world’s most important manufacturing industries, valued at approximately $2.6 trillion.
He said global vehicle production reached about 96.4 million units in 2025, up from 92.7 million the previous year, while worldwide vehicle sales approached 100 million.
The President observed that the geography of automotive manufacturing continued to shift, with Asia now producing well over 60 per cent of the world’s vehicles.
Countries such as China, India and Thailand, he said, had shown that strategic industrial policy, sustained investment and deliberate capacity-building could transform developing economies into global manufacturing powerhouses.
Closer to home, President Mahama cited Morocco as proof of what consistent policy could achieve on the continent, adding that none of those countries had become manufacturing leaders overnight but had patiently built skills, infrastructure, supply chains and technology over the years.
The President further said that vehicle sales across Africa grew by more than 20 per cent in 2025, the fastest regional growth rate in the world.
He, however, noted that the continent still accounted for only about one per cent of global vehicle output despite being home to nearly a fifth of humanity — an imbalance President Mahama described as presenting an extraordinary opportunity for countries such as Ghana.
The Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Ms Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, commended Zonda for its continued investment in the country’s automotive sector.
For her part, Madam Yang Yang expressed appreciation to the government and people of Ghana for their support over the years.
