Ford said it would launch 25 new vehicles in Middle East and African (MEA) markets by 2016 as part of plans for a new business unit focused on the regions.

Spanning Saudi Arabia to South Africa, and Nigeria to Kenya, there are 67 countries under the unit’s supervision.

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Its president, Jim Benintende, said: “MEA is the final frontier for global growth in the auto industry.”

Sales are expected to rise 40% by the end of the decade to 5.5m vehicles. Ford and Lincoln brand sales grew by up to 60% in the last four years.

Based in Dubai, the MEA unit combined North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and the Middle East into a single business unit, with all sales, share and financial reporting consolidated.

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“The Middle East and Africa region is vast and is comprised of very diverse markets with different political, cultural and economic environments,” Benintende said.

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Middle East and Africa is now managed in two sub-regions – South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. While regional operations are headquartered in Dubai, Ford maintains regional offices in both South Africa and Dubai.

“The new business unit will give the region the focus it deserves and help spearhead Ford’s continued growth in emerging markets. Africa is one of the youngest markets in the world, and there is an opportunity to provide an affordable product for the people of the continent,” Benintende added.

Ford currently sells about 200,000 vehicles a year throughout the Middle East and Africa region.