A new chapter is opening at the helm of Côte d’Ivoire’s national oil operations company, PETROCI.
Following the end of Joachim Beugré’s mandate, who had been in office since 2019, President Alassane Ouattara has appointed Moussa Dosso as Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of the state-owned oil group.
Aged 70, Moussa Dosso, former Minister-Governor of the Woroba District, is expected to officially take office in the coming days, at a time when Côte d’Ivoire’s oil and gas sector is experiencing rapid expansion. His appointment comes at a strategic moment as PETROCI implements its ambitious 2024–2028 development plan.
A chartered accountant by training, the new Chairman brings extensive high-level government experience. Between 2003 and 2017, he held several ministerial portfolios, including Trade, Industry, Education, and Employment. In 2017, he also represented Côte d’Ivoire as an administrator at the African Development Bank (AfDB), strengthening his expertise in continental economic and financial affairs.
Moussa Dosso is not new to PETROCI. In 2015, he played a key role as chief negotiator during a labor dispute between trade unions and the company’s management, helping to ease tensions and restore stability.
As Chairman of the Board, he will be responsible for steering the group’s strategic transformation, particularly its ambition to become an operator on oil blocks CI-523 and CI-525. PETROCI is also continuing the development of several offshore oil fields in partnership with Italy’s Eni, while pursuing international expansion ambitions, including in the Sultanate of Oman.
On the operational side, the company’s general management has been led since July 2023 by Fatoumata Sanogo, a former TotalEnergies executive, under whose leadership the company has recorded encouraging performance.
Indeed, at its latest Board meeting held on April 8, PETROCI reported a net profit increase to 34.5 billion CFA francs, up from 32.4 billion the previous year. This growth reflects the vitality of the sector and promising prospects for the national oil company.
With this appointment, Ivorian authorities are banking on Moussa Dosso’s experience and strategic vision to consolidate achievements and further position PETROCI as a key player in West Africa’s oil industry.