ACB Moves In: NOCMA Fuel Deal Linked to Sattar Under Probe
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has opened a high-stakes investigation into explosive allegations that the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) awarded a fuel supply contract to a firm linked to controversial businessperson Zuneth Sattar.
The probe, triggered by a formal complaint from the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), marks a new flashpoint in Malawi’s ongoing fight against high-level corruption.
In a letter dated March 20, 2026, ACB Acting Director General Gabriel Chembezi confirmed that investigators have already moved in.
“Having reviewed your complaint, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has instituted investigations into the matter effective March 19, 2026. Our officers will be in touch to obtain further details,” reads part of the communication addressed to CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
CDEDI’s complaint, submitted on March 16, cites widespread reports across mainstream and social media alleging that NOCMA secretly handed a fuel supply deal to Savari—a company reportedly tied to Sattar, a figure whose name has repeatedly surfaced in major corruption scandals.
But NOCMA is pushing back hard.
The state oil firm has flatly denied awarding any new contract, insisting that what occurred was merely an extension of supply volumes to existing contractors, Addax and Camel Oil. It says Savari and Kobil were only brought in to reinforce fuel supply, with all regulatory approvals in place.
Still, the ACB probe signals that authorities are not taking any chances.
At stake is more than just a contract—it is public trust in how strategic national resources are managed. As investigators dig deeper, the key question looms: was this a routine supply adjustment, or another shadowy deal hiding in plain sight?
With pressure mounting and scrutiny intensifying, this investigation could expose yet another fault line in Malawi’s governance—and determine whether accountability will finally catch up with power.
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