Banking on business operations diversity and astute strategic directions:
The quiet confidence in, and with which the Car & General (Cargen/C & G) Group CEO, Mr Vijay Gidoomal, discusses the company’s performance and eastern Africa general economic climate and issues is not only amazing but also inspiring. It is not surprising that he has led the company since 1996 with a passionate focus on restructuring and diversifying C&G Group’s core product lines including in automotive & equipment distribution; financial services; leasing (of forklifts, generators & excavators); real estate (Nairobi Mega Mall & planned development of a housing project in Shanzu-Mombasa); agriculture (Kibo poultry farm in Tanzania) and manufacturing (of helmets in Ruiru, Kiambu & assembly of motor bikes in Nakuru). The company also runs several ICT projects.
In 2025, C & G Group posted impressive results with a 21 per cent growth in turnover to K sh 25.34 billion (B) in 2025 up from K sh 20.945 B in 2024. With operations in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, the Group’s revenues were impressive namely as K sh 11.2 B in 2025 (against k sh 8.8 B in 2024) in Kenya; 1.502 B in 2025 (against k sh 1.562 B) in Uganda; K sh 12.594 B (against K sh 10.566 B) in Tanzania. The Group’s total assets were K sh 21.772 B in 2025 up from K sh 18.977 B in 2024.
C& G’s subsidiaries & associates include Cummins (power generation); Nairobi Mega mall (real estate); Navigate (Information Technology); Kibo Farm (poultry—day-old in Tanzania); Boda + (helmet manufacturing) & Watu (Micro-financing arm).
Founded and listed on the stock exchange in 1936, C & G is celebrating and observing 90 years of devoted and prosperous operations in Kenya and eastern Africa with its brands being in consumer and equipment segments. In the consumer segment, these include Piaggio (three wheelers motor bikes), TVS (2 wheelers) and MRF & Cargen. Other brands in the segments include Motorol & Mercury, Electrolux, Garmin and Boda Plus. Brands in the equipment segment include those in power generation and construction & earth works (including Develon, Ace, & Kubota). Other brands include Beroni, Bobcat, Ingersoll Rand (IR) & Toyota.
On May 5th, 2026, Mr Gidoomal hosted a Media roundtable where he provided several of C&G’s highlights in the 2025 financial year and candidly discussed the company’s and eastern Africa’s economic climate and issues. Some of the highlights include positive performance in all product lines and throughout the eastern Africa region; growth of the 2 wheeler market in Kenya from 4600 to 8000 units per month and recovery of the 3 wheelers segment; a rebound of the micro-financing segment; stable exchange rates; working capital rationalization throughout the Group; commitment to green energy transition running over 350 battery swap stations in different parts of the country (in partnerships with associates); focusing on compressed natural gas (CNG) as the main fuel (notably in the Tanzania market) and also on electric wheelers and improved sales in Uganda & Tanzania (now comprising 56 per cent of the Group sales). Other highlights included good progress in Watu Simu operations driving up smartphone access &use in the region; Watu Credit expansion into 8 African countries and becoming the biggest financier for 2 wheelers and improved earnings from the company’s Nairobi Mega Mall. Further, the company’s diversity in different business lines has improved sales, stabilized margins and enhanced sustainability and also boosted its impact on people’s lives through various corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavors.
Notably, the Boda + plant has expanded and increased export sales to Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi while the Group’s continuing digitization has enhanced efficiency. The company also launched its internal ‘CarGen Leadership Academy’ to boost its employees’ leadership and operations prowess & skills. It has also developed a Saccos app to ease operations of hundreds of two & three wheelers Saccos in the country and region. In the comprehensive chat with Media he also highlighted the Group’s many strengths all driven majorly by strategic business operations acumen and its expansion into various business segments.
Nevertheless, the company has steered across and through various challenges which he identified to include global climate change; various politicians’ activities and utterances that ultimately affect the political situation & threaten political stability in the country and region and some government policies and regulations that dis-incentivize business or adversely affect operations. Further, the current Geo-political realities including ongoing USA & Israel –Iran and the Ukraine-Russia wars have caused logistical challenges including delays and increased transportation costs this worsening the already high cost of doing business in the country and eastern Africa region.
Looking towards an event brighter future (dubbed as ‘Moving the Needle2026—Beyond 2026, Cargen 3.0), the company is determined to increase its market share and volumes by over 25 per cent across the markets; continue on its sustainability pathways and also fully embrace the Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) concept; continue developing its CarGen Leadership Academy for future-ready leadership and also boost its diversity & inclusive strategy looking to have 50-50 gender parity by 2030 and also lead in E-mobility in electric 2 & 3 wheelers. Further, it plans to continue its investments in EV (electric vehicles) infrastructure in eastern Africa and also advance its subsidiary ARC-Ride to support E-mobility across Africa.
Already CarGen has invested in a 2 wheeler assembly plant in Nakuru County and is committed to boosting Kenya’s industrialization agenda; in the plant 14 of the over 200 assembly components are manufactured in Kenya in strategic partnerships. Boda + helmets will also be exported to more countries beyond eastern Africa. Further, the company is determined and committed to expanding Watu Credit into a continental financial services provider. It will expand its real estate reach beyond the Nairobi Mega Mall by investing in housing projects at its Shanzu land but with caution.
It will continue navigating its digitalization agenda by enhancing its Saccos app and serve as many 2 & 3 wheelers Saccos as possible within Kenya and in the region and beyond. Plans are afoot for inception and inauguration of CarGen Foundation which will assume role as the company’s social impact engine. Generally, the company will continue contributing to the Kenyan and regional economies positively through job creation, development of entrepreneurship and support to livelihoods.
“We’re already at the base camp in our journey and we need and must climb Mt Everest. We can’t afford to miss the opportunity. Let’s all grab it,” he asserted as he concluded the chat. {Ends}
