Tecno Entrepreneur Elvis Berlin Mouafo Eyes Downstream Oil Market With Elvi Energy

• Cameroonian entrepreneur Elvis Berlin Mouafo has incorporated Elvi Energy SA to diversify from mobile telecommunications into the downstream petroleum sector.
• The company has an initial share capital of CFA100 million but must secure regulatory approvals before it can import or distribute petroleum products.
• The incorporation documents provide no details on investment plans, supply strategy, distribution network or operational timetable.

Cameroonian businessman Elvis Berlin Mouafo, best known for his activities in the mobile phone business through the Tecno brand in Cameroon, has launched a diversification into the downstream oil industry.

According to the company’s incorporation documents reviewed by Investir au Cameroun, Mouafo participated in the creation of Elvi Energy SA in Yaoundé. The company intends to engage in the import, export and distribution of petroleum products.

However, the incorporation does not authorize Elvi Energy to operate in the market. The activities listed in its articles of association remain subject to the licenses and regulatory approvals required for Cameroon’s downstream petroleum industry.

Company Starts With CFA100 Million Capital

Elvi Energy has been incorporated as a public limited company with a board of directors for a term of 99 years. The company has an initial share capital of CFA100 million.

According to its articles of association, the company’s purpose covers the “import-export of petroleum products and the distribution of all petroleum products.” This broad mandate allows Elvi Energy to target several segments of the petroleum supply chain, although it does not specify the business model the company intends to pursue.

The company has five shareholders, all of whom also serve on its board of directors: William Senghor Ndiatie, Elvis Berlin Mouafo, Moubel Gouanat Pedrel, Gilbertine Maffo Ngouanat épouse Mouafo, and Anne-Simon Mbang Bembala.

The shareholders appointed Elvis Berlin Mouafo as chairman of the board, while they named Zakari Yaou Abdoul as chief executive officer.

Although the CFA100 million capital provides an initial financial base, it does not indicate the project’s eventual scale. Petroleum importation, storage and distribution typically require substantially larger investments, depending on the infrastructure to be built, the volumes to be financed and the logistics partnerships selected.

Market Entry Depends on Regulatory Approvals

Elvi Energy must obtain the required regulatory approvals before it can market petroleum products.

Cameroon has regulated petroleum distribution since the liberalization of the downstream oil sector under a decree issued on Nov. 13, 2000.

The regulations require holders of a nationwide petroleum distribution license to deploy part of their retail network outside the country’s main urban centers. The Ministry of Water and Energy reiterated in January 2026 that at least 20% of an approved distributor’s service stations must operate outside departmental capitals.

Consequently, listing petroleum activities in the company’s articles of association does not replace the ministry’s licensing process. It also does not establish that Elvi Energy already has a network of filling stations, storage capacity, supply contracts or a technical partner.

The sector also remains subject to strict compliance and operational requirements. For example, in a call for expressions of interest published in March 2026, the National Shippers’ Council required applicants seeking to operate service stations to provide a petroleum distribution license, technical references and proof of financial capacity.

Operational Strategy Remains Unclear

Elvi Energy plans to enter a market already dominated by companies with established distribution networks, logistics infrastructure and long-standing experience in petroleum supply. Those companies include Tradex, Bocom Petroleum and Neptune Oil.

However, the incorporation documents do not clarify the new company’s competitive positioning.

The documents provide no operational timetable, investment budget, sales targets or import volume projections. They also do not indicate whether Elvi Energy will build its own service station network or rely on partnerships with independent operators.

Several questions also remain regarding the company’s supply strategy. The documents do not specify whether Elvi Energy will source products through existing domestic supply channels, import fuel directly, store products at facilities operated by the Cameroon Petroleum Storage Company (SCDP), or partner with an operator that already holds the required licenses.

Nevertheless, the project marks a new stage in Elvis Berlin Mouafo’s entrepreneurial expansion. After building his reputation primarily in the mobile telecommunications sector, the businessman is moving into a more capital-intensive industry that remains heavily regulated by the state.

The creation of Elvi Energy therefore reflects a broader diversification strategy rather than an operational launch. Before commencing operations, the company must secure the necessary licenses, define its investment program and demonstrate its ability to finance the infrastructure required for petroleum importation and distribution. At this stage, its CFA100 million share capital offers limited insight into the project’s eventual scale.

Amina Malloum