LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) has dismissed as false and misleading allegations circulating on social media suggesting that businessman Zunneth Sattar was awarded a fuel supply contract with the company.
In a public notice issued on March 16, 2026, and signed by NOCMA management, the company categorically denied that Sattar is among its fuel suppliers, stressing that it has no running contract with him.
The statement was released in response to growing online claims linking the businessman to fuel supply arrangements at a time when the country has been battling periodic fuel shortages.
NOCMA explained that Malawi experienced a serious fuel supply disruption in October 2025 when existing suppliers failed to deliver sufficient fuel volumes to meet national demand.
According to the company, the shortage created a persistent fuel crisis that required urgent intervention to stabilize the country’s fuel supply chain.
To address the situation, NOCMA said it quickly increased fuel volumes from its existing suppliers while also bringing in additional suppliers to ensure adequate supply across the country.
The company named several suppliers that were engaged during the emergency procurement process, including Addax Energy, Camel Oil, Savari Energy DMCC and Kobil.
NOCMA emphasized that the emergency fuel procurement followed the country’s legal and regulatory frameworks governing public procurement and the energy sector.
The process, the company said, complied with provisions under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) Act and the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Act.
In addition, NOCMA indicated that the arrangements were subjected to scrutiny and due diligence by the Anti Corruption Bureau to ensure transparency and accountability.
Meanwhile, the company disclosed that it issued a competitive tender for fuel supply on December 4, 2025, which later closed on January 5, 2026.
The tender is currently under regulatory review by MERA and PPDA, after which the Notice of Intention to Award will be published in line with procurement procedures.
NOCMA concluded by reiterating that Sattar is not among its suppliers and reaffirmed its commitment to transparent procurement and ensuring a reliable fuel supply for Malawi.