Vivo Energy

What Vivo Energy does

Vivo Energy is a pan-African fuel retailer and distributor licensed to operate the Shell and Engen brands across 28 African markets, with headquarters in London and a primary operating entity domiciled in the Netherlands. Founded in 2011 and backed by Vitol Group, the company operates over 3,900 service stations, sells approximately 20 billion litres of fuel per year, and serves around 2 million customers daily through a network in which 95% of sites are operated by local dealer partners. Its product portfolio includes Shell and Engen retail fuels (Shell FuelSave, Shell V-Power, Engen unleaded and diesel), Shell-branded lubricants (Shell Helix, Shell Rimula, Shell Advance), LPG (Butagaz, Shell Gaz, Somagaz), Shell Card fleet services, and emerging EV charging infrastructure in Mauritius, Réunion, and Morocco.

Vivo Energy's business model is primarily a transaction-fee model on fuel and lubricant sales executed through two GTM motions: a sales-led approach targeting commercial B2B customers in mining, construction, transport, power, and agriculture, and a channel-partner motion delivering retail volume through the 3,900+ branded station network. Revenue is supplemented by non-fuel retail (convenience stores and quick-service restaurants including Pick n Pay, KFC, Wimpy, Java House, Chicken Inn, and Pizza Inn) and increasingly by technology services. The most recent expansion was the May 2024 acquisition of a 74% shareholding in Engen Limited from PETRONAS, which expanded the pan-African footprint and required the May 2026 Namibia divestiture of 52 stations to Nasan Energies as a regulatory remedy.

Vivo Energy's technology stack centers on the VE-CEM (Continuous Equipment Monitoring) platform, an AI-enabled Digital Twin system launched at Mining Indaba 2026 that processes real-time equipment sensor data (temperature, pressure, vibration) to deliver predictive maintenance under the Fluidlink service suite for mining customers. The company operates ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems certification (achieved in 2023 as the first African fuel retailer), complies with GDPR as its global privacy standard, and is investing $130 million to convert the former Durban refinery into a 300,000 cubic meter fuel storage facility scheduled for completion in Q3 2027. CEO Stan Mittelman, formerly Senior Vice-President for Africa at TotalEnergies Marketing & Services, has led the company since March 2022.

Name

Vivo Energy

Legal name

Vivo Energy Holding B.V.

Website

https://vivoenergy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Vivo Energy is a pan-African fuel retailer and distributor licensed to operate Shell and Engen branded service stations across 28 African markets, serving retail motorists and commercial B2B customers in mining, transport, construction, power, and agriculture through over 3,900 stations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Retail and Distribution

NAICS

Gasoline Stations (4571), Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals) (424720)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Unbranded/Spot Fuels Distribution (Rack Sales) (EUALAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail & E-commerce Lubricants Sales (Auto Parts, Quick Lube, Online) (EUALAJAF), Lubricants, Fluids & Chemical Products Distribution (Oils, Coolants, AdBlue/DEF, Cleaners) (TLAKAOAL)

Keywords

• Fuel distribution
• Retail fuel stations
• Lubricants marketing
• Commercial fuels
• Convenience retail

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fuel Distribution: Sale of petroleum fuels through branded retail service stations and commercial B2B channels
2. Lubricants: Sale of Shell and Engen branded lubricants to retail and commercial customers
3. Non-fuel Retail: Growing non-fuel retail offering including convenience stores and related services at service stations

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Vivo Energy sources, distributes, markets, and supplies Shell and Engen branded fuels and lubricants to retail and commercial customers across 28 African markets through over 3,900 service stations. The portfolio includes differentiated fuels (FuelSave, V-Power), lubricants (Shell Helix, Rimula, Advance), LPG, convenience retail, fleet card services, and commercial value-add solutions for mining, transport, power, and agriculture sectors.

Product overview

Vivo Energy is a pan-African fuel retailer and distributor operating Shell and Engen brands across 28 African markets through over 3,900 service stations. The company's product portfolio centers on retail and commercial fuels and lubricants (Shell Helix, Shell Rimula, Shell Advance for lubricants; Shell FuelSave, Shell V-Power, Engen Unleaded, Engen Diesel for fuels), complemented by non-fuel offerings including convenience stores, quick-service restaurants (Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn, KFC, Java House, Wimpy), card services (Shell Card, Engen cards), LPG (Butagaz, Shell Gaz), and EV charging infrastructure. The company also offers technology solutions including VE-CEM (AI-enabled Digital Twin for predictive maintenance) as part of its Fluidlink mining service suite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VE-CEM (Continuous Equipment Monitoring): AI-enabled Digital Twin system for real-time equipment monitoring and predictive maintenance for mining sector customers
• Shell FuelSave
• Shell V-Power
• Shell Advance
• Shell Helix
• Shell Rimula
• Butagaz
• Shell Card

Products and services

• Shell Retail Fuels

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PETRONAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPETRONAS sold a 74% stake in Engen Holdings to Vivo Energy in 2023, creating a significant expansion of Vivo Energy's footprint in Southern African markets.
• ACWA PowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LNG-to-power project consortium, collaborating on energy infrastructure development projects across African markets.
• VTTIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in LNG-to-power project consortium, collaborating on energy infrastructure development projects across African markets.
• Didier Drogba FoundationminorOthersCommunity partnership focused on social impact initiatives, leveraging Drogba's reputation for community development in Africa.
• Tharisa MinesminorOthersCommercial fuel supply partnership with mining company, providing bulk fuel and lubricant solutions for mining operations.
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMemorandum of Understanding signed for innovation partnership, focusing on research and development collaboration in energy sector technologies.
• ShellcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBrand licensing agreement enabling operation of Shell branded retail service stations across African markets, providing brand recognition and operational standards.
• EngencoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerBrand licensing agreement for Engen branded operations, further expanded through 74% acquisition of Engen Holdings.
• NASAN EnergiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDivested service stations to NASAN Energies as part of network optimization, maintaining distribution capabilities in specific markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sasol: Sasol operates a significant retail fuel network in Southern Africa (Sasol Fuel) and is a major integrated fuels and chemicals producer. Overlaps with Vivo in South African retail fuel, lubricants, and commercial fuels serving mining/industrial customers.
• Mocoh: Mocoh is an independent physical commodity distributor with pan-African downstream fuel and lubricants operations including a growing service station footprint. Comparable business model of branded fuel distribution and B2B commercial supply across multiple African markets.
• Puma Energy: Puma Energy is the closest direct peer to Vivo Energy — a global downstream fuel retailer and distributor with significant pan-African operations across retail service stations, commercial fuels, and lubricants. Both compete head-to-head for retail fuel share and B2B contracts across multiple African markets.
• Astron Energy: Astron Energy is the successor to BP's South African downstream business, operating a major network of service stations across South Africa with a comparable retail fuel, convenience, and lubricants model. Direct competitor in the South African market following Vivo's enlarged footprint from the Engen acquisition.
• TotalEnergies Marketing & Services: TotalEnergies operates its own branded retail network across many of the same African markets as Vivo Energy, including service stations, lubricants, and commercial B2B fuels. Direct competitor for both retail motorists and industrial/transport customers in markets like Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Morocco.

Broad incumbents

• Galp Energia: Galp is an integrated energy company with a meaningful African retail and commercial fuels presence, including operations in Mozambique and other Lusophone African markets. Overlapping downstream fuel and lubricants business across selected African geographies.

Others

• Trafigura: Trafigura is a global commodity trader with significant African downstream and trading operations, and a parent/peer to Puma Energy. Comparable to Vitol (Vivo's parent) as an industry-shaping trading house backing pan-African fuel distribution infrastructure.

Regional players

• African Petroleum Plc: African Petroleum operates retail service stations and lubricants distribution in West Africa, including markets where Vivo operates (Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone). Regional fuel retail peer with overlapping B2B and lubricants offerings.
• Sahara Group: Sahara Group is a leading African energy conglomerate with downstream operations spanning fuel retail, trading, and distribution across West and East Africa. Comparable in downstream fuel distribution and lubricants trading, though operating across a different geographic mix.
• Oando: Oando is one of Nigeria's largest integrated energy companies with downstream fuel retail and distribution operations. Comparable in business model (retail service stations, lubricants, commercial B2B) but focused primarily on the Nigerian market rather than pan-African.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vivoenergy
• Facebookfacebook.com/513542285364113
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vivo-energy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vivo Energy