Company: Naftal
Country: Algeria
Sector: Oil and gas
CEO: Djamal Cherdoud (Président-Directeur Général / PDG, since November 2023)
Website: https://www.naftal.dz
Careers Page: Not publicly listed
LinkedIn: Not publicly listed
Email: Not publicly listed
Headquarters: Algiers, Algeria
Founded: 1981
Valuation/Revenue: $3,283.0m revenue (African Business Top 250, 2025, rank #49)
Naftal is Algeria’s state-owned petroleum products distribution company, responsible for supplying gasoline, diesel, LPG, lubricants and other refined fuel products to consumers and businesses across the country through an extensive retail and storage network. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sonatrach, Algeria’s national oil and gas company, and is not publicly traded.
What Does Naftal Do?
Naftal is the principal company selling petroleum-based fuels for domestic consumption in Algeria, operating an infrastructure network of storage depots, distribution terminals and approximately 2,300 fuel retail stations nationwide. Its product range covers gasoline and diesel for road transport, LPG and butane for household and industrial use, aviation fuel, and lubricants, making it a critical piece of Algeria’s domestic energy supply chain and one of the largest fuel retail networks in North Africa.
Who Owns Naftal?
Naftal has been a wholly owned (100%) subsidiary of Sonatrach, the Algerian state hydrocarbons company, since 1998. As a state-owned enterprise with no public shareholders, Naftal does not trade on any stock exchange, and detailed public financial disclosure is more limited than for listed companies, consistent with the norm for large state-owned enterprises across North Africa.
Is Naftal Publicly Traded?
No. Naftal is entirely state-owned through Sonatrach and has no shares available to public or institutional investors. It appears on rankings like the African Business Top 250 by revenue scale rather than market capitalisation, since it has no listed equity value to report.
Who Is the CEO of Naftal?
Djamal Cherdoud has served as Naftal’s PDG (President-Director General) since being installed in the role in November 2023, following a formal appointment ceremony reported in Algerian state and business media. As head of a major state enterprise, his appointment and any leadership changes are typically announced through government channels and Algerian energy-sector press rather than conventional investor relations disclosures.
How Big Is Naftal?
Naftal is one of Algeria’s largest companies by revenue, ranking #49 on the African Business Top 250 (2025) list with revenue of approximately $3.28bn. Given its role distributing essentially all retail fuel consumed domestically in Algeria — a country of more than 45 million people — its revenue scale reflects national fuel consumption volumes and international oil product price levels rather than competitive market share, since it faces limited domestic competition in retail fuel distribution.
Where Is Naftal Headquartered?
Naftal’s head office is located in Algiers, Algeria’s capital, alongside the headquarters of its parent company Sonatrach and most of Algeria’s other major state-owned enterprises.
How Old Is Naftal?
The company was established on 6 April 1981, originally under the name ERDP, before being renamed Naftal in 1983. It became a fully-owned Sonatrach subsidiary in 1998, and has operated in that structure for over a quarter of a century since.
How Does Naftal Compare to Its Competitors?
As Algeria’s dominant, state-controlled fuel distributor, Naftal faces limited direct domestic competition, unlike liberalised fuel retail markets elsewhere in Africa where companies like TotalEnergies, Vivo Energy (Shell-branded retail) and Oando compete for market share. Naftal’s closest continental peers in terms of scale and state ownership are other North African national fuel distributors, such as Egypt’s state fuel companies, though Naftal’s near-monopoly position within Algeria is more pronounced than in most other national fuel markets on the continent.
How Large Is Naftal’s Infrastructure Network?
Naftal operates an extensive infrastructure network of storage terminals, pipelines and distribution depots that underpin its approximately 2,300 retail fuel stations across Algeria, a network scale that makes it one of the most extensive fuel retail operations in North Africa. As Sonatrach’s dedicated downstream distribution arm, Naftal plays a critical role in ensuring fuel security for a country heavily reliant on road transport and where government-subsidised fuel prices have historically kept domestic pump prices well below international market levels, a policy that shapes Naftal’s revenue and margin structure differently from fuel retailers operating in liberalised markets elsewhere on the continent.
What Is Naftal’s Role Within Sonatrach?
As a wholly owned Sonatrach subsidiary, Naftal focuses specifically on the downstream, consumer-facing side of Algeria’s hydrocarbons value chain, while Sonatrach itself handles upstream exploration and production, along with LNG and pipeline exports. This division of labour is typical of state oil company structures across the Middle East and North Africa, where a single vertically integrated national champion controls the entire value chain from wellhead to retail pump, with Naftal representing the final, most consumer-visible link in that chain for millions of Algerian motorists and households relying on LPG and butane for cooking and heating.
Links
Website: https://www.naftal.dz
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: Not found
Email: Not publicly listed
FAQ
Is Naftal a private company?
No, it is 100% owned by Sonatrach, Algeria’s state oil and gas company.
Who is the CEO of Naftal?
Djamal Cherdoud, appointed PDG in November 2023.
Is Naftal publicly traded?
No, it has no public shareholders or stock exchange listing.
What does Naftal sell?
Gasoline, diesel, LPG, butane, aviation fuel and lubricants, distributed through roughly 2,300 retail stations across Algeria.
When was Naftal founded?
In 1981 (as ERDP), renamed Naftal in 1983.
Where is Naftal headquartered?
Algiers, Algeria.