Queues in front of gas stations in Bangui have lengthened again in recent weeks, causing irritation among motorists. This situation is due to the closure of the branches of Tamoil RCA, formerly known as TotalEnergies. The French multinational sold its activities in the country to TransAfricaMarket Oil, a subsidiary of Rochefort International, an investment bank based in Paris and London. However, the new owner faces significant financial demands from the authorities.
The Ministry of Energy recently announced the suspension of Tamoil RCA’s customs operations until its tax debts are settled. In fact, nearly 2 billion CFA francs (or approximately 3.2 million euros) were not paid in May and August of this year.
Some observers are surprised by the importance of this tax debt, considering that Tamoil actually inherited numerous debts during the acquisition of TotalEnergies, which were previously deducted from the taxes owed by the group to the State.
Furthermore, the government claims that Tamoil did not obtain the necessary approval for the exercise of its activities and is demanding more than one billion FCFA for the transfer of business assets, as well as a fine of 200 million of FCFA for “illegal exploitation without approval for the importation and distribution of petroleum products”. These requests would represent a total of 1.8 million euros.
Discussions are underway between representatives of Total and Rochefort International, as well as the Central African authorities. Some believe that this is simply a need for administrative compliance, while others speculate on a possible surprise from Rochefort International regarding the business climate in the Central African Republic.
While waiting for the situation to resolve itself, the government is actively seeking other fuel suppliers, in particular by turning to Neptune Oil, a Cameroonian company subsidiary of a Swiss broker called Optima Energy.
It remains to be seen how this matter will be resolved and whether Tamoil will be able to meet the financial demands of the Central African authorities. In the meantime, Bangui residents must be patient and deal with endless queues in front of gas stations.