Toyota Tsusho Manufacturing Ghana (TTMG) has launched the ninth-generation Hilux and the new Land Cruiser FJ, backed by fresh investment in equipment and workforce training that the company says underscores its long-term confidence in Ghana’s economy and its ambitions to deepen local automotive manufacturing .
The new Hilux required dedicated capital outlay because the tooling used for the previous generation could not be adapted for the latest model, according to Andrew Lamptey, Head of Sales Operations at TTMG. Speaking at the launch, Lamptey said the company has assembled the Hilux in Ghana for four to five years and views the new investment as a statement of commitment to the local market .
“We’ve invested a lot in ensuring that we are able to assemble this particular new brand,” Lamptey said, adding that the move reflects “the confidence we have in the Ghanaian economy” .
Push Beyond Assembly
The launch event also served as a platform for TTMG to outline a longer-term vision for Ghana’s automotive value chain. Lamptey noted that most assemblers in the country currently import the bulk of their components, but argued the industry must evolve toward local production of parts to unlock greater employment and export potential.
“The idea is to be able to develop the industry to a point where we’ll be able to manufacture some of the components locally,” he said, adding that “the main goal is to be able to have a lot of component manufacturers” .
That ambition aligns with broader government policy. Ghana’s Trade Ministry has drafted an Automotive Component Manufacturing Development Policy aimed at attracting investment into local parts production, while President John Dramani Mahama has publicly urged assemblers to move beyond kit assembly into component manufacturing for batteries, tyres, wiring harnesses, seats, glass, plastics and metal parts .
Market Share and Employment
Jerry Mensan, TTMG’s National Sales and Marketing Manager, said the introduction of the two models is intended to improve mobility options in Ghana while also strengthening the company’s commercial position. “Once we invest, we would want to get something out,” Mensan said, describing market share as a priority alongside the company’s mobility objectives .
Mensan also emphasized the local employment footprint of TTMG’s assembly operations, stating that approximately 99.9% of the company’s employees in Ghana are Ghanaian nationals. He said local production does not compromise Toyota’s quality standards. “We maintain the same standards that Toyota keeps way back in any of the assembly plants,” he said .
Institutional Background
TTMG was established in June 2020 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation and began vehicle assembly operations in Tema in June 2021 . In a corporate restructuring completed at the end of 2025, CFAO Mobility—a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho—acquired Toyota and Hino distribution operations in Ghana, integrating manufacturing, distribution, sales and after-sales under the TTMG umbrella . The combined business now operates through nine branches and employs around 640 people .
In October 2026, Toyota Tsusho announced a $55 million capital injection into TTMG through CFAO, raising the Ghanaian entity’s capital to $63 million, a move the parent company described as aimed at expanding its automotive business in Ghana .
The newly launched Hilux incorporates customer feedback and features designed for Ghanaian road conditions, according to Lamptey . The Land Cruiser FJ, meanwhile, is positioned as a compact, adventure-oriented SUV with a 2.7-litre petrol engine and four-wheel drive, targeting buyers seeking off-road capability in a more maneuverable package .
The company said developing local component suppliers will be critical to expanding the automotive value chain beyond assembly, creating more jobs and positioning Ghana to benefit from future vehicle exports .
