By Burnett Munthali
The National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) has said it will not make a second payment of $403,615.63, approximately K700 million, to a Mozambican service provider after the original funds were allegedly diverted by cybercriminals who infiltrated email communications between the two organisations.
According to local media, Nocma maintains that it acted on payment instructions it believed had been legitimately issued by Moz Handlings LDA and argues that it cannot be required to pay the same amount twice following the alleged cyber fraud.
The disputed payment relates to services provided by Moz Handlings LDA, a company involved in shipping agency, product handling and customs clearing operations at the Port of Nacala in Mozambique under Malawi’s government-to-government fuel procurement arrangement.
Nocma chief executive officer Emmanuel Matapa said the company had documentary evidence showing that the payment was made and insisted that the state-owned fuel importer had fulfilled its contractual obligation.
“We paid Moz Handlings LDA once and we have proof of that payment,” Matapa said in a statement. He maintained that the consequences of a compromised email account and fraudulent changes to banking instructions should not automatically result in Nocma being required to release the money again.
The alleged fraud reportedly began in March 2026 when criminals gained access to email communications involving Nocma officials and a representative of Moz Handlings LDA.
According to correspondence cited in the report, the attackers impersonated a company employee using an email address that closely resembled the legitimate address previously used in communications with Nocma.
The fraudulent messages allegedly instructed Nocma to send payment to a new bank account held at Bank of America rather than to the supplier’s established account in Mozambique.
Nocma subsequently processed the payment in April through the National Bank of Malawi after invoices and supporting documentation received through the compromised email communication were approved by company officials.
The suspected fraud was uncovered after Moz Handlings LDA later contacted Nocma to report that the expected payment had not reached its account.
Matapa said the company subsequently reported the matter to the Malawi Police Service and requested assistance in identifying those responsible and recovering the funds.
The case has since attracted increased attention, with police reportedly arresting Nocma deputy chief executive officer Micklas Reuben and senior operations officer Jacob Sesani in connection with investigations into the payment process.
Nocma has also engaged specialists in digital economic crime and legal matters as efforts continue to establish how the alleged cyberattack occurred and whether the diverted funds can be recovered.
The controversy has renewed scrutiny of financial controls within Malawi’s government-to-government fuel procurement system, which placed Nocma at the centre of petroleum imports following the country’s transition away from the Open Tender System in late 2024.
Civil society representatives have welcomed the disclosure of the suspected fraud, while stressing the importance of allowing investigators to establish the full circumstances surrounding the diversion of the funds.
Moz Handlings LDA managing director Eder Pele had not commented on the matter by the time of publication, according to local media.
The investigation is expected to determine responsibility for the cyber fraud and whether the state-owned company can recover the approximately K700 million transferred to the allegedly fraudulent account.
