- NOCMA, wholly owned by the Government of Malawi and founded in December 2010, manages the country’s Strategic Fuel Reserves, promotes industry competition, and supports upstream exploration for national fuel security.
- Its extensive infrastructure—60 ML across four regional depots—combined with logistics upgrades in rail, labs, and storage expansions, strengthens fuel access, distribution efficiency, and national resilience.
NOCMA Malawi: Strategic fuel reserves & national mandate
NOCMA is a government-owned entity established in December 2010 under the Companies Act (1984), guided by Malawi’s 2003 National Energy Policy. It is officially mandated to manage Malawi’s Strategic Fuel Reserve Facilities (SFRs), bolster competition in the oil and gas sector, and foster upstream exploration to ensure stable, continuous fuel and gas supply.
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NOCMA Malawi: Nationwide infrastructure with robust storage capacity
NOCMA is based at Kang’ombe House in Lilongwe. It manages fuel reserves in Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu, and Karonga. Together, these sites store about 60 million litres—enough for over 45 days of fuel supply. This network is key to Malawi’s energy security. The Kanengo depot in Lilongwe and the Matindi depot in Blantyre each hold 25 million litres. The Sonda depot in Mzuzu, opened on July 20, 2018, adds 10 million litres.
NOCMA Malawi: Recent Modernisation and Supply Chain Improvements
To improve fuel logistics and lower operational costs, NOCMA has launched several modernization projects. It has established three fuel-quality monitoring labs in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu to ensure consistent product standards across the country. The company has also doubled its storage capacity through a major expansion and invested MK4.6 billion in building a rail link between the Blantyre and Lilongwe depots. These upgrades have greatly improved the speed, efficiency, and reliability of fuel distribution in Malawi.
NOCMA Malawi: Leadership, governance & compliance focus
Led by CEO Clement Kanyama (appointed May 5, 2023), supported by experienced senior management in operations and legal governance, NOCMA emphasizes professional finance, logistics, HSE, and legal compliance frameworks . Its governance is overseen by a Board chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government.
NOCMA Malawi: Safety, sustainability & operational resilience
With zero-harm as its guiding principle, NOCMA integrates health, safety, and environmental standards throughout operations. It also maintains emergency planning and risk mitigation systems, to protect infrastructure and supply security .
