A crane hoists a container at Port Reitz Station on the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Mombasa, Kenya, July 9, 2026. (Xie Jianfei)

NNA News - Chinese construction equipment manufacturer Sany Heavy Industry says it expects continued growth in Africa as infrastructure investment, industrialisation and clean energy projects gather pace across the continent. The company reported first-quarter sales in Africa of 3.5 billion yuan (about US$517 million), a year-on-year increase of about 70%, according to company figures.

Speaking in an interview with Xinhua in Nairobi, Sany Chairman Xiang Wenbo said the company's recent performance marked the beginning of a longer-term expansion. "I think this is only the beginning. There are still huge opportunities ahead," Xiang said.

Sany entered the African market more than two decades ago and has since expanded its operations across the continent, establishing sales, maintenance and service networks in multiple countries. According to Xiang, Africa's improving infrastructure and growing industrial base have strengthened the continent's long-term investment prospects.

He said Chinese companies are increasingly moving beyond exporting products to building industrial capacity through technology transfer, skills development and local manufacturing support. "We have created a lot of local jobs. We directly employ more than 1,000 people here, and we have sold more than 40,000 machines in Africa over the years," Xiang said. "Most of the operators were trained by us, which means we have trained a large number of industrial workers."

He added that Sany has established repair and service centres in almost every African country where it operates, supporting local technical skills development. The company's expansion reflects broader China-Africa economic ties. China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, while Chinese investment continues to expand across sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, mining and renewable energy. Xiang argued that infrastructure remains one of Africa's greatest development priorities.

Drawing on China's experience that economic development depends on transport connectivity, he said investment in roads, railways and logistics should continue to accelerate."Infrastructure is still far from sufficient, and there is a great deal Chinese companies can do," he said. He noted that high transport and logistics costs continue to affect the competitiveness of many African economies.

This photo taken on April 29, 2026 shows a scene at Durban Port in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Mbuthi Msweli)

According to the African Development Bank, Africa faces an annual infrastructure financing gap of between US$68 billion and US$108 billion, with transport and logistics among the continent's largest investment needs. A Chinese government white paper states that Chinese companies have built or upgraded more than 10,000 kilometres of railways and nearly 100,000 kilometres of roads across Africa while helping create more than 4.5 million local jobs.

Looking ahead, Xiang said future cooperation should focus on industrial development rather than simply exporting equipment. He identified artificial intelligence and the global transition to renewable energy as opportunities for African countries to accelerate industrial development. Sany is expanding investments in new energy technologies, including green mining solutions, microgrids and utility-scale solar projects. The company also donated 500 household solar systems to Malawi last year.

A drone is demonstrated during the "Experience China" High-Tech Fair in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, May 1, 2026. (Photo by Emmanuel Herman)

Xiang acknowledged that challenges remain, including financing constraints, logistics costs and the time required to establish service networks across the continent. He said China-Africa cooperation continues to provide opportunities for long-term trade and investment as companies seek new international markets. "The real curtain," Xiang said, "is only now going up."