Fuel for Mozambican households and industry

Mozambique

Moussa Konate, managing director of Vivo Energy Moçambique, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s growing B2B segment and prospects for supplying to Mozambique’s mining sector. Vivo Energy is a distributor and retailer of fuels and lubricants with a network of 3,900 stations in Africa.

What has been Vivo Energy’s focus since launching in the Mozambican market?
Vivo Energy just completed five years in Mozambique. The company was created in 2011 by Helios Investment Partners, Vitol and Shell. Shell divested its 20% stake in the company after our IPO in 2018 and a few years afterwards Vitol decided to take the company private again.
Being private has helped us move fast because Vivo Energy is on a journey to grow. The vision from day zero has been to be the leading African energy business, and the most respected one. Retail is our main focus because our network of filling stations is the showroom of our business. Commercial contracts can disappear overnight but filling stations remain and they are how we build our resilience.

What have been the key business pillars of Vivo Energy after the 5-year journey in Mozambique?
Our core business strategy revolves around three key pillars. First and foremost, we prioritise providing convenient access to fuel for Mozambicans nationwide. This focus on the retail sector has been instrumental in our rapid growth. We’ve expanded our network significantly, with 50 service stations currently operational. Our goal is to ensure every corner of Mozambique benefits from reliable and accessible fuel options.
However, our reach goes beyond retail. We understand the vital role businesses play in the country’s economic development. That’s why we offer comprehensive B2B solutions catering to a diverse client portfolio. From mining and transportation to the recent addition of aviation fuel, we support various industries with their energy needs. This diversification allows us to contribute significantly to Mozambique’s overall economic growth.
Finally, we are the exclusive distributor of Shell lubricants across Africa. We actively promote these high-quality products, ensuring businesses and individuals have access to the best lubricants for their vehicles and equipment.
These core businesses – a strong retail network, diverse B2B solutions and a focus on Shell lubricants – have positioned Vivo Energy Mozambique as a key player in the country’s energy sector.

Can you give us an overview of your B2B operations?
B2B services are an important part of our operations. We have a commercial segment and we are also involved in mining and the transportation sector, and we entered the aviation business a few months ago in partnership with Petromoc. It’s a growing business and we are leveraging our global network and our position as the sole distributor of Shell lubricants across Africa.
The oil and gas and mining sectors will be game changers for us in Mozambique. As a service provider, we are part of the ecosystem and want to play our role in the growth of the country.

What are some of the services that you provide to mining companies?
We assist the mining sector with decarbonisation and we help them lower the cost of their operations. Reducing the cost of energy reduces operational costs and helps to extend the lifetime of mines.
We are in discussions with mining companies and we are participating in tenders. Our solutions are ready and we need to find a mining partner who is keen to move with us. We need to watch the market and position ourselves to be ready when contracts with current suppliers come to an end.

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