The exit of TotalEnergies from Burkina Faso has sparked a behind-the-scenes contest between two of the country's most prominent businessmen for control of the oil major's former fuel distribution network.

According to Africa Intelligence, the dispute involves banking tycoon Idrissa Nassa and construction magnate Mahamadou Bonkoungou, both of whom have built sprawling business empires across West Africa.

At the centre of the contest are nearly 170 filling stations, along with fuel storage and logistics infrastructure that form a critical part of the country's petroleum supply chain.

Nassa initially appeared to have secured the network. In September 2025, his investment vehicle, Coris Invest Group, signed a deal in Dakar to acquire TotalEnergies Marketing Burkina. The business was later rebranded as Barka Energies and relaunched in Ouagadougou, inheriting the infrastructure built by TotalEnergies over more than two decades.

However, Bonkoungou is also understood to be pursuing the assets, underscoring the growing interest among local investors in strategic energy infrastructure previously controlled by foreign companies.

Bonkoungou built his fortune through EBOMAF, the construction firm he founded in 1989, which has secured major road and infrastructure contracts across several West African countries.

His group has since diversified into banking, aviation, heavy equipment distribution, and healthcare.

For Nassa, the move into fuel distribution represents another step in broadening his business interests beyond finance. He founded Coris Bank International in 2008, growing it into one of the region's most prominent banking groups with operations across the West African Economic and Monetary Union and other markets.

The rivalry reflects a broader shift in West Africa's energy sector, as international companies scale back operations and domestic conglomerates move to acquire strategic assets. With fuel supply playing a critical role in transport, mining, and electricity generation, control of a nationwide distribution network carries significant economic influence.

While Barka Energies has already begun operating under its new identity, the ongoing rivalry between the two businessmen suggests the final shape of ownership may not yet be settled.