Demand For Tyres In Kenya

Anticipated growth in new two-wheeler and passenger car sales to boost tyre demand in Kenya...

Backed by increase in domestic automotive demand and emergence of Kenya as a major East African commercial hub, the tyre market in the country is projected to witness an increase in volume sales over the next five years. The tyre market in Kenya is predominantly a replacement driven tyre market as there is no automobile manufacturing facility in the country.

With a vehicle motorization rate of around 30 vehicles per 1,000 people, Kenya offers a huge potential for new vehicle sales over the next five years, thereby promising a positive outlook for the country’s tyre industry.

Sameer Africa is the only domestic tyre manufacturing company in Kenya, while other global tyre companies such as Apollo, Pirelli, Dunlop, etc., operate in Kenya tyre market through the import route. The biggest tyre distributing and retailing company in Kenya is Kingsway tyres who have been inthe business for five decades now.

According to a recent report passenger cars, two wheelers and three wheelers cumulatively accounted for around 70 per cent of the overall tyre sales in Kenya in 2020. The domination of these automobile segments is expected to continue over the next five years. Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu provinces account for majority of the overall tyre demand in the country, and this trend is expected to continue over the next five years.

The major trends anticipated for the tyre market in Kenya over the next five years are:
• Increasing demand for motorbikes
• Decreasing Chinese tyre penetration
• Increasing automobile sector
distributor network
• Increasing penetration of Radial tyres

Kenya has a population of around 45 million and the country is considered one of the largest and most progressive economies in East and Central Africa region and a major business hub.

With a vehicle motorization rate of approximately 30 vehicles per 1,000 people, Kenya offers a huge potential for new vehicle sales over the next five years, thereby promising a positive outlook and great opportunities for the the automobile parts and accessories sector.