Norwegian authorities have accused a local oil company and two Norwegian nationals of paying bribes to the president of the Republic of the Congo and members of his family in exchange for offshore oil drilling rights.
Prosecutors on Monday confirmed that Hemla Africa Holding, a subsidiary of Norwegian energy firm Petronor E&P, has been indicted alongside two individuals on charges of gross corruption and serious accounting violations. The case is linked to an offshore oil license application made in 2016.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly paid millions of dollars to Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso and his relatives to secure the license. Prosecutors further allege that the deal would have entitled the president and his family to about 25 percent of the revenue generated from oil sales tied to the license.
Petronor has denied all allegations, saying it disputes the claims and welcomes the opportunity for the case to be examined fully in court.
Norway’s prosecution is being carried out under its obligations as a signatory to the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials, which requires member states to investigate and prosecute foreign bribery involving their citizens or companies.
While Norwegian law does not allow authorities to pursue foreign officials who allegedly received the bribes, individuals and companies convicted of large-scale corruption can face substantial fines and prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about grand corruption in the global energy sector, particularly involving deals between multinational companies and senior political figures. Grand corruption typically involves the misuse of public power for private gain, often through secretive contracts and revenue-sharing arrangements.
Although Norway is Europe’s largest oil producer, with most of its output coming from the North Sea, Norwegian firms also maintain assets abroad. Petronor holds exploration and production interests offshore Congo, and Hemla Africa Holding reportedly owns a 20 percent stake in the PNGF Sud oil licenses.
Norway has previously faced scrutiny from the OECD over its handling of transnational bribery cases. While the organization has acknowledged improvements in enforcement, it has also urged Norwegian authorities to strengthen measures allowing the seizure of profits linked to corruption.
Several members of President Sassou Nguesso’s family have been linked to corruption cases in other countries.
In France, his daughter was charged in 2022 over alleged money laundering and misuse of public funds, while his son has faced separate accusations involving oil-related bribery and embezzlement.
