Akwa Group

Akwa Group S.A.

Company type	Société anonyme
Founded	1932 (1932)
Founder	Ahmed Ouldhadj Akhannouch & Haj Ahmed Wakrim
Headquarters	Casablanca , Morocco
Key people	Aziz Akhannouch (CEO and chairman), Ali & Jamal Wakrim
Revenue	3 billion $
Owners	Akhannouch and Wakrim
Website	www.akwagroup.com

Akwa Group S.A. (former name: Groupe Afriquia) is a Moroccan conglomerate company headquartered in Casablanca. The company is primarily engaged in the oil and gas industry, but operates also in the telecommunication, tourism, hotels and real estate sectors. Its service stations operate under the Afriquia brand.

History

In 1932 the founder of Afriquia, Ahmed Ouldhadj Akhannouch opens a stall in Casablanca where he sells oil per liter. Endowed with an innate sense of business, his business rapidly flourished.

The company was established in 1959 as Afriquia SMDC (Société Marocaine de Distribution de Carburants) which is now a subsidiary of Akwa Group S.A. The other major subsidiary, Maghreb Oxygène, was established in 1974. The corporate structure was reorganized in 1990s by creation of the holding company Groupe Afriquia. Its subsidiaries Afriquia Gaz and Maghreb Oxygène were publicly listed in 1999. Groupe Afriquia changed its name to Akwa Group in March 2002.

Operations

Petrol and automotive services

Akwa's subsidiary Afriquia SMDC is a Morocco's leading filling station operator with over 400 AfriquiaGaz stations. Afrilub (Afriquia Lubrifiants Maroc) is a manufacturer of motor oil. Petrolog and Petrosud import and sale of petroleum product. Petrosud operates also a large oil depot at Port d'Agadir. SEJ (Société d'Entreposage de Jorf Lasfar) provides downstream petroleum entrepôt services, including gasoil and heating oil storage.

Auto Speedy provides automobile repair shop franchises. Rezoroute operates Mini-Brahim convenience stores and Oasis Cafe highway restaurants and provides Rapid'Auto franchises.

Liquid petroleum gas

Afriquia Gaz is a Morocco's leading liquid petroleum gas distributor. It owns brands Afriquia Gaz, Tissir Gaz, Ultra Gaz, Camping Gaz and Métagaz.

Industrial and medical gases

Maghreb Oxygène is a provider of industrial and medical gases. It operates three facilities in Berrechid, Had Soualem and Jorf Al Asfar. The company manufactures and distributes medical liquid oxygen, industrial liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, acetylene, etc.

Telecommunication

Akwa has two subsidiaries providing telecommunication services. Afrinetworks, including Eho & Aloha, is affiliated with Méditel. Bell Networks is affiliated with Nortel Networks and EADS Télécom.

Tourism, hotels, catering and real estate

Akwa participate in the Accor group with hotels Ibis and Ibis Budget. Akwa owns a catering company Oasis Café and a real estate company Akwa Immobilier.

External links

• Official website (in French)