Drawing together the global Japanese car maker’s partners from across its Independent Markets Africa and South African networks for the first ever continental awards ceremony in South Africa, the event was a true celebration of the company’s African legacy and continental presence said Nissan Africa managing director Sherief Eldessouky.

South Africa’s other finalists for dealer of the year included: Morgan Nissan Lydenburg which won the Small Dealer of the Year category; BB Mount Fuji (Medium Dealer); NTT Nissan Klerksdorp (Large Dealer); and NTT Nissan Bloemfontein as Mega Dealer of the Year. Brand Nissan Vredendal won the Very Small Dealer of the Year category and was crowned the overall winner for South Africa.

For Nissan Independent Markets Africa, Caetano Formula West Africa in Congo won the Small National Sales Company of the Year category, with Caetano Formula West Africa in Gabon winning the medium category and ABC Motors Mauritius winning the Large National Sales Company of the Year.

The gala event, which was the culmination of the annual Nissan Africa Conference, recognised a whole range of Nissan top performers from best Nissan Finance Dealer to Best Nissan Customer Satisfaction in Sales and Service won by Algoa Nissan in South Africa and Motorcare Limited in Uganda. Other awards included Best Customer Satisfaction in New Vehicle Sales, Best Fleet Sales, After Sales and Service and granular recognition awards of the best salespeople in the various categories of Nissan’s key models.

Nissan’s success was a combination of having the right vehicles for the right market backed up by the right people. The gala event was a wonderful opportunity to recognise these individuals and organisation, said Nissan South Africa and Independent Markets Africa managing director Maciej Klenkiewicz

“From South Africa, we learn that we are because of others. In Africa we say if we want to go fast, we go alone, but if we want to far, we go together.

“Friday night was a reflection of both of those concepts, we are a company made up of incredible people with an incredible African legacy that spans more than 60 years and a partnership in all the countries that make up this continent that gives us a fantastic footprint, which guarantees that the vehicles we sell can be serviced and supported to the highest global standards wherever they are sold.

“It is a true pleasure and privilege to be able to recognise those people from across Africa and here in South Africa and properly honour them in this way,” Klenkiewicz said.