By Wendy Mkandawire
The National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) has confirmed it was not scammed in connection with a payment to Mozhandling Limited, which handles petroleum services. The company says it went public to ensure transparency and keep Malawians informed.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, NOCMA Public Relations Officer Raymond Likambale said the funds were sent to a bank account provided by Mozhandling Limited.
He said the bank has confirmed both the transaction and receipt of the funds, adding that NOCMA believes it is Mozhandling that was scammed.
According to NOCMA, the payment was made on 29th April 2026 after receiving bank details from Mozhandling. Two weeks later, NOCMA was notified of an outstanding balance despite having already paid, which prompted an investigation.
Likambale said law enforcement agencies will follow up on the matter. He added that NOCMA made the announcement to ensure transparency and accountability to Malawians.
However, NOCMA has not disclosed whether any funds have been recovered.
The National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) on Monday 24th announced that hackers had duped it into transferring K700 million to a fraudulent Bank of America account after impersonating Mozambican port handling firm Mozhandling Limited.
