In Africa, Toyota increased its sales from 122,000 vehicles in 2000 to 314,000 in 2007. In South Africa, the locally produced Hilux, Hiace, Corolla, and Camry sold well in 2004, helping Toyota reach a record sales volume of approximately 110,000 vehicles and thereby break through the 100,000 mark for the first time. Furthermore, taking advantage of a South African policy for promoting the domestic automobile industry that cancels import tariffs on cars imported by an automaker equivalent to the number of cars it exports from South Africa) Toyota launched many import models there, i.e., the Quantum and Yaris in 2005 and the Avanza and Avensis in 2006. Due to efforts to strengthen Lexus sales and other initiatives, Toyota sold more than 150,000 vehicles in South Africa in 2007. Starting in 2008, the sales volume for the entire African region fell, but sales have been continually recovering since hitting rock-bottom in 2010.

In South Africa, Toyota established its South Africa Foundation in 1989, through which it carried out social contribution activities primarily in the educational field, for example, implementing the Toyota Teach teacher-training program in 1992. Furthermore, because AIDS had become a serious social problem in South Africa, Toyota has also promoted a program to train AIDS education specialists called "Peer Educators".