BAMAKO, Mali

NDC Energie has acquired approximately 80 service stations in Mali previously operated by TotalEnergies, the Malian company confirmed on Wednesday, marking the French group’s withdrawal from the country after more than 25 years.

The stations were initially sold in January 2025 to Coly Energy Mali, a subsidiary of Benin Petro, ending TotalEnergies’ direct presence in Mali’s retail fuel market. One year later, in January 2026, the network changed hands again, with NDC Energie taking full ownership.

The acquisition marks a strategic transformation for NDC, formally known as Niangadou Distribution Company and led by businessman Mamadou Niangadou. Previously a major fuel importer with a fleet of about 200 tanker trucks, the company will now become a vertically integrated operator, controlling importation, transport, storage and retail distribution.

TotalEnergies has cited repeated fiscal pressures and geopolitical tensions with Mali’s military authorities since 2020–2021, as well as recurring social conflicts, as reasons for its exit. The company said it chose to disengage rather than continue in what it considered a “too risky and less profitable environment.”

A similar withdrawal occurred in Burkina Faso in 2025, where TotalEnergies sold around 170 stations to Coris Investment Group, reflecting a broader strategic retreat from higher-risk Sahelian markets.