TotalEnergies set to sell Ethiopian network to OLA Energy
The company's global materials describe it as Ethiopia's third-largest fuel retailer with around 120 stations.
TotalEnergies is reportedly preparing to exit Ethiopia's fuel retail market, with reports pointing to an agreement to sell its local service station network to pan-African fuel retailer OLA Energy, formerly known as OiLibya.
The reported deal, first detailed by Africa Business, would see TotalEnergies hand over a network of roughly 120 service stations to OLA Energy. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed, and neither company has publicly confirmed it.
TotalEnergies has operated in Ethiopia since 1950, building one of the country's most recognisable fuel retail brands through retail service stations and a business-to-business arm covering petroleum, petrochemical and specialty products. The company's global materials describe it as Ethiopia's third-largest fuel retailer with around 120 stations, while TotalEnergies Marketing Ethiopia's local website puts the figure at 143 stations, offering fuel sales alongside oil change, tyre service, car wash, café and mini-shop formats.
A potential sale to OLA Energy would not be the first signal of TotalEnergies' intentions in the market. Reports first circulated in March 2025 that the French group was preparing to divest a combined network of roughly 150 service stations across Ethiopia and Eritrea, as part of a wider rationalisation of its African retail footprint. The latest reports suggest that process may now be approaching completion, with OLA Energy emerging as the buyer for the Ethiopian assets.
OLA Energy is already an established operator in Ethiopia and across the continent. The pan-African retailer, which rebranded from OiLibya in 2018, says its retail network spans more than 1,300 service stations along with convenience stores and cafés across its African markets, built up over two decades through a string of acquisitions, including former Shell and ExxonMobil affiliates in multiple countries.
