To avoid a break in the gasoline supply chain after the Swiss firm’s departure, Nouakchott plans to call on other
foreign traders. For its part, the contract holder denies this and claims its contract is still running. The Mauritanian state, embroiled in a row with Addax Energy – its exclusive supplier of liquid hydrocarbons (gasoline, paraffin, diesel and fuel oil) which recently halted its imports – is working hard to keep the spectre of a fuel shortage at bay. According to our information, the country has recently decided to buy petrol on the spot market. Litasco, a trading subsidiary of the Russian company Lukoil, is said to be in the running to fill the gap left by the Swiss firm. Addax is a subsidiary of Addax and Oryx Group (AOG), founded and chaired by Swiss billionaire Jean-Claude Gandur. Litasco came second in the last tender for 2021, which Addax won. The previous year, Litasco had initially won the same
contract before withdrawing in favour of its Swiss competitor amid supply difficulties. According to Litasco, these were linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the blocking of discussions with the Mauritanian authorities.
