NDC Energie, a Malian fuel distribution company, has officially acquired approximately 80 service stations in Mali that were previously operated by TotalEnergies, the company confirmed on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
The transaction represents the final stage of TotalEnergies’ complete withdrawal from Mali’s downstream petroleum retail market after more than 25 years of presence. The stations were first sold by TotalEnergies in January 2025 to Coly Energy Mali, a subsidiary of Benin-based Benin Petro. Exactly one year later, in January 2026, ownership transferred to NDC Energie, giving the Malian firm full control of the network.
The acquisition significantly expands NDC Energie’s footprint and marks a major strategic evolution for the company, formally known as Niangadou Distribution Company and led by prominent Malian businessman Mamadou Niangadou. Until now primarily a large-scale fuel importer and transporter—with a fleet of around 200 tanker trucks—NDC will now become a fully vertically integrated player in Mali’s petroleum sector, overseeing importation, trucking, storage, and retail distribution through the acquired stations.
TotalEnergies cited a combination of factors for its exit from Mali, including repeated fiscal pressures from the military-led authorities (in power since 2020–2021), ongoing geopolitical tensions, recurring social conflicts, and what the company described as a “too risky and less profitable environment.” The French energy major emphasized that the decision was part of a deliberate portfolio rebalancing rather than abandonment of the continent.
A similar pattern emerged in neighboring Burkina Faso, where TotalEnergies sold around 170 service stations to Coris Investment Group in 2025, signaling a broader strategic retreat from several higher-risk Sahelian markets amid deteriorating operating conditions, security challenges, and shifting fiscal demands.
The Mali transaction is seen locally as an opportunity for greater national control over a critical segment of the downstream petroleum value chain. NDC Energie has indicated plans to modernize the acquired stations, improve service quality, maintain employment levels, and potentially expand the network in underserved areas.
The handover also reflects the changing dynamics of foreign investment in the Sahel region, where several international oil companies have scaled back or exited retail operations in recent years due to political instability, regulatory uncertainty, and security risks following military coups in Mali (2020 and 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023).
No financial details of the NDC Energie acquisition were disclosed. The deal is subject to standard regulatory approvals from Malian authorities, which are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
The development underscores Mali’s ongoing efforts to strengthen domestic private sector participation in strategic industries while navigating the challenges of regional insecurity and economic transition.
