Toyota Uganda Limited has changed its name to CFAO Motors Uganda, according to company authorities.
Toyota Uganda Limited’s majority shareholder, Toyota Tsusho Corporation (TTC), acquired the remaining shares of the French trading company Compagnie Française de l’Afrique Occidentale (CFAO), which was active in Africa, in 2016.
Toyota Uganda said on Wednesday that it has decided to change its name to CFAO Motors Uganda.
“We have been known as Toyota Uganda since 2005. However, increasingly, we have felt the name does not encompass the full breadth of mobility solutions that we offer, over and above the Toyota brand. The rebrand to CFAO Motors Uganda allows us to align with our CFAO Group philosophy that seeks to strengthen our investment in Toyota whilst at the same time offering additional mobility solutions,” said Thomas Pelletier, the Managing Director of CFAO Motors Uganda.
He said that because the company is the official distributor for brand-new Suzuki vehicles, Yamaha motorbikes, Hino trucks, and Toyota forklifts, the name should be changed.
“More than a name change, this is also a milestone that brings us closer to our ambition of sustainable growth, value chain integration, partnership with strong brands and innovation, consolidating our position as a leading automotive brand.”
He also noted that despite the name change, the shareholders will remain the same.
The CFAO Managing Director noted that the organization will soon introduce new business lines as part of their attempts to further extend their footprint in Uganda.
“We want to also go into second hand vehicles that our customers can buy. This way, we shall be able to buy back the brand-new vehicles sold to customers and resell them at affordable prices. We also want to ensure every customer enjoy great after sale services even if they didn’t buy cars from us,” Pelletier said.
He noted that Laborex, which also imports and distributes medications to the government’s National Medical Stores and private health facilities, will increase its investment in this area of business.
Pelletier explained that while the corporation has been known as CFAO in West and Central Africa, where they have a large presence, they have been known as Toyota in Uganda, but that it was high time they changed.
CFAO’s Background
The Corporation For Africa and Overseas (CFAO) Motors Uganda is a division of the CFAO Group’s CFAO Automotive sector.
CFAO is a prominent participant in mobility, healthcare, consumer products, infrastructure, and energy, with a revenue of about €5.8 billion, access to 46 of Africa’s 54 countries, and nearly 21,000 workers.
