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Burkina Faso businessman Idrissa Nassa has just pulled off one of the most consequential deals in the country’s recent economic history: his investment vehicle, Coris Invest Group (CIG), now owns what was formerly TotalEnergies’ local downstream arm — and with it, a nationwide network of fuel stations.
On September 8, 2025, in Dakar, Nassa personally signed the paperwork that transferred control of TotalEnergies Marketing Burkina to Coris. The acquisition was officially announced to local authorities shortly afterward.
On Friday, the 5th of December, the company rolled out its new name, Barka Energies, at a launch event in Ouagadougou, introducing the revamped management team and assuring customers that operations would continue as before.
Barka Energies inherits the full retail infrastructure previously managed by TotalEnergies: hundreds of service stations, supply depots and a logistics chain that spans the country. The rebrand is being presented as a milestone in the country’s push for greater economic sovereignty — a nod to a broader continental trend where locally owned firms replace foreign incumbents in strategic sectors.
For Nassa, the move represents a clear evolution beyond his banking and insurance roots: Coris isn’t just playing finance anymore — it is now front and center in a sector critical to everyday life and national commerce. Observers say that the acquisition positions Coris as a domestic heavyweight with regional ambitions.
From the consumer’s point of view, the immediate effect may be subtle: the forecourts, pumps and staff remain the same, but under different branding. Behind the scenes, though, the implications are big: control over supply chains, pricing strategy, and perhaps investing in future expansions. In unveiling Barka Energies, Coris sent a message — local ownership, local leadership, and a bet on domestic capacity in a sector long dominated by foreign companies.
Whether Barka Energies will transform the existing business — improving efficiency, expanding services or embracing new energy models — remains to be seen. But for now, with Nassa at the helm, Burkina Faso’s fuel retail business has a distinctly Burkinabè identity.
