Company: Sonatrach
Country: Algeria
Sector: Oil and gas
CEO: Noureddine Daoudi
Website: https://sonatrach.com/en/
Careers Page: Not publicly listed
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonatrach
Email: Not publicly listed
Headquarters: Algiers, Algeria
Founded: 1963
Valuation/Revenue: $77,013m revenue (African Business Top 250, 2025 ranking); FY2024 net profit reported at roughly $6bn, per Sonatrach’s own 2024 annual results
Sonatrach is Algeria’s state-owned national oil and gas company, and it is the single largest company in Africa by revenue. It explores for, produces, transports, refines and markets hydrocarbons, and it also has stakes in petrochemicals, power generation and desalination, making it the backbone of Algeria’s economy and the country’s dominant export earner.
Is Sonatrach Legit?
Yes. Sonatrach (Societe Nationale pour la Recherche, la Production, le Transport, la Transformation et la Commercialisation des Hydrocarbures) is a wholly state-owned enterprise created by the Algerian government and is not a scam, private venture or investment scheme. It is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world, ranked consistently as Africa’s biggest company by revenue in African Business magazine’s Top 250 rankings, and it is a member of OPEC-adjacent producer forums through Algeria’s OPEC membership. Any online offer claiming to sell “Sonatrach shares” or promising investment returns through Sonatrach should be treated as fraudulent, since the company is not publicly listed and has no retail shareholder scheme.
How Big Is Sonatrach?
Sonatrach reported revenue of roughly $77 billion, the largest of any company tracked in African Business magazine’s Top 250 companies in Africa for 2025, well ahead of the next-largest firms on the continent. The company also reported a net profit of around $6 billion for the 2024 financial year, a roughly 20% increase year-on-year according to its own annual disclosures, even as global energy prices softened from their 2022 peaks. Sonatrach produces well over one million barrels of oil equivalent per day and controls Algeria’s vast natural gas reserves, among the largest in Africa and among the top ten globally. It operates the Hassi Messaoud oil field and Hassi R’Mel gas field, two of the largest hydrocarbon deposits on the continent, and runs an extensive pipeline network exporting gas to Europe via Italy and Spain.
Who Is the CEO of Sonatrach?
Noureddine Daoudi was named CEO of Sonatrach in late October 2025, succeeding Rachid Hachichi, who had led the company for roughly two years before his removal was announced by Algeria’s Energy Minister Mohammed Arkab. Daoudi previously headed Alnaft, Algeria’s hydrocarbons regulatory agency (the National Agency for the Valorisation of Hydrocarbon Resources), giving him deep experience in licensing rounds, partnership negotiations with international oil majors, and the sector’s digital transformation push. Leadership turnover at the top of Sonatrach has been frequent in recent years, reflecting the political sensitivity of the role in Algeria, where the state relies on hydrocarbons for the large majority of export revenue and a significant share of the government budget.
Who Owns Sonatrach?
Sonatrach is 100% owned by the Algerian state. It has no private or foreign shareholders, though it partners with international oil and gas majors — including firms such as ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Eni and Chinese state energy companies — on exploration and production-sharing agreements for specific fields and projects. The company reports to Algeria’s Ministry of Energy and Mines and its strategic direction, including its announced roughly $40 billion multi-year investment plan to boost hydrocarbon output and drill some 1,450 new wells, is set in coordination with the Algerian government.
What Does Sonatrach Do?
Sonatrach’s operations span the full hydrocarbon value chain: upstream exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas; a large pipeline transport network moving gas to domestic industry and to export terminals; downstream refining at plants such as Skikda and Arzew; petrochemicals production; liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) exports; and increasingly, renewable energy and green hydrogen pilot projects as Algeria tries to diversify its energy mix. Its retail fuel distribution arm, Naftal, sells petroleum products across Algeria. Sonatrach is Algeria’s largest single taxpayer and the country’s dominant employer in the energy sector, with tens of thousands of employees.
How Old Is Sonatrach?
Sonatrach was founded in 1963, the year after Algeria won independence from France, as part of the new state’s effort to assert control over its natural resources following decades of French colonial exploitation of Saharan oil and gas fields. It has operated for over six decades as the exclusive vehicle through which the Algerian state manages its hydrocarbon wealth, having nationalized foreign oil interests in stages through the 1960s and 1970s.
What Has Sonatrach Been in the News For Recently?
In 2025 and 2026, Sonatrach has been prominent in the news for its roughly $40 billion, multi-year investment programme aimed at reversing years of declining conventional output, including plans to drill approximately 1,450 new wells and develop shale gas resources. It also announced a leadership change in October 2025 with Noureddine Daoudi replacing Rachid Hachichi as CEO. The company continues to expand LNG and pipeline gas exports to Europe as the continent seeks to diversify away from Russian gas, positioning Algeria and Sonatrach as an increasingly important supplier.
Links
Website: https://sonatrach.com/en/
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonatrach
Email: Not publicly listed
FAQ
Is Sonatrach a government company?
Yes, Sonatrach is 100% owned and controlled by the Algerian state.
Who is the CEO of Sonatrach?
Noureddine Daoudi, appointed in October 2025.
How much revenue does Sonatrach generate?
Approximately $77 billion, making it Africa’s largest company by revenue according to African Business magazine’s 2025 Top 250 ranking.
Is Sonatrach publicly traded?
No. Sonatrach is wholly state-owned and has no shares available to the public.
Where is Sonatrach headquartered?
Algiers, Algeria.
When was Sonatrach founded?
1963, shortly after Algerian independence.