The CSTAR project, an ambitious fuel depot and refinery in Kribi, is at the center of a major controversy involving the Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH). According to revelations by investigative journalist Boris Bertolt, this project was allegedly implemented under opaque conditions, bypassing established institutions and involving high-ranking state officials.
The CSTAR project, led by Nathalie Moudiki, daughter of the CEO of SNH, Adolphe Moudiki, and Franck Hertz Biya, is accused of being launched without adequate consultation with the relevant bodies. The Board of Directors of SNH, led by Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, as well as the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Water and Energy (MINEE), the Hydrocarbon Prices Stabilization Fund (CSPH), and the National Refining Company (SONARA), were allegedly kept in the dark. This lack of transparency raises questions about the legality and legitimacy of the project.
A particularly worrying aspect raised by Boris Bertolt concerns the company Techlogix. In 2024, this company allegedly received five shipments of crude oil from SNH, worth at least 140 billion FCFA. However, as of March 2025, no payment had been recorded in SNH's accounts. The former Deputy Commercial Director, Mr. Ndongo Ndi Emmanuel, allegedly alerted CEO Adolphe Moudiki to this situation, which allegedly led to his demotion and removal from SNH. The funds remain unpaid.
According to Bertolt, the chairman of Techlogix is Mr. Azzam Makhlouf, who was later appointed vice-president of CSTAR at a board meeting held in Dubai. Nathalie Moudiki was allegedly appointed both Chairwoman and CEO of CSTAR. In addition, the partner consortium ARIANA/RCG allegedly does not have solid references in refining or strategic stock management.
The CSTAR project, comprising a refinery with a capacity of 30,000 barrels per day and a storage depot of 250,000 metric tons, aims to strengthen Cameroon's energy independence. Officially launched in July 2025, it aims to reduce fuel imports by about 30% and generate export revenues. Construction work on the Kribi refinery is scheduled to begin in January 2026.
These revelations raise serious questions about the governance of SNH and the practices surrounding the CSTAR project. They highlight potential conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency that require further investigation. The case calls into question the management of Cameroon's oil resources and the need for greater accountability in the hydrocarbon sector. Transparency International has defended its partnership with SNH despite the Glencore corruption scandal. The anti-corruption organization said that SNH had approached it to conduct a “governance diagnostic”.
