Namibia Lifts Ban on Nasan Energies Buying Fuel From Vitol After Policy Review

July 7, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

A five-year supply restriction imposed on Nasan Energies has been scrapped in Namibia, allowing the company to source fuel from commodities trader Vitol following a policy reversal published in a government gazette on Monday.

The restriction had formed part of the conditions attached to a regulatory approval granted in March, when the Namibia Competition Commission cleared Nasan Energies’ acquisition of 52 fuel stations operating under the Engen and Shell brands. The assets were acquired from Vivo Energy, a unit linked to Vitol, and the approval included a clause prohibiting fuel purchases from the trader.

A separate policy move in May introduced a short-term shift in supply arrangements when Energy Minister Modestus Amutse authorised a three-month exclusive fuel supply deal with Vitol, aimed at responding to price volatility linked to tensions surrounding the Iran war.

That temporary arrangement was later reviewed by authorities, leading to a decision to remove the earlier competition condition that had blocked commercial ties between Nasan Energies and Vitol.

The latest change, formally recorded in the government gazette, removes the five-year ban and adjusts the regulatory framework governing the fuel station acquisition previously approved by the competition authorities.

Source: FSX Business News