Mali: TotalEnergies, a major player in the hydrocarbons sector, is leaving

French group TotalEnergies completed the sale of its activities in Mali earlier this month, transferring all its assets to Coly Energy Mali, an entity operated by Beninese company Bénin Petro. This acquisition, which includes all the country's service stations, was welcomed by the Malian authorities.

Benin Petro, alongside its Swiss-based sister company Neutron, has announced that it will retain the more than 1,100 employees of TotalEnergies in the country. The deal includes the takeover of 80 service stations as well as the supply of fuel to the mining and aviation sectors. This development marks a significant expansion for Bénin Petro, which is already present in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria.

According to William Ediko, investment banker and advisor on the deal, the acquisition is "a great coup" for Bénin Petro, strengthening its presence in sub-Saharan Africa. The company is banking on the resilience of the Malian economy, despite the country's current difficulties.

After more than twenty-five years of activity in Mali, TotalEnergies has decided to withdraw without providing an official explanation. However, several observers, quoted in particular by RFI, suggest that tensions with the ruling junta, marked by fiscal harassment and repeated strike action, played a decisive role in this decision.

The service stations concerned will adopt a new visual identity by 2025, marking the end of an era and the opening of a new chapter for the hydrocarbons market in Mali.