Hass Petroleum is a privately-owned Kenyan oil marketing company offering services such as fuel storage, automated fuel systems, and LPG piped gas systems. The company was founded in 1996 by two brothers, the late Abdirizak Ali Hassan and Abdinasir Ali Hassan. The current CEO is Mohamud Salat.
But how has Hass Petroleum grown over the years to become one of Kenya’s most recognized oil companies?
Establishment in Kisumu
Appearing on a special feature on Chams Media, Hass Petroleum Chairman Abdinasir Ali Hassan shared that he and his younger brother started the company in 1997, just before the devastating El Niño rains, which disrupted fuel transport infrastructure in Tanzania.
As fuel shortages hit the Lake Region, demand spiked, prompting Hass Petroleum to tap into the business. They opened their first filling station in Kisumu.
“There was a lot of demand coming from the Lake Region because the fuel supply from Dar Es Salaam was cut off. My brother was in Mwanza, so we’d load, ship it through the Isebania border, and cross to Tanzania even though our resources were small,” Hassan explained.
Partnership
In 2017, Oman-based OQ (formerly Oman Trading International) acquired a 40 percent stake in Hass Petroleum.
OQ’s investment provided crucial funding that allowed Hass to expand by setting up new distribution assets and service stations across its key markets.
“We reached a stage where we needed a strategic partner to continue, and some five years back, we decided to venture into retail marketing. We found OQ, owned by the Oman Government, and they bought 40 percent from us,” Hassan said.
Services
Hass Petroleum’s services include:
Fuel storage
Automated fuel management systems
LPG piped gas systems for residential and commercial properties
The company owns storage facilities in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, DR Congo, Somalia, Zambia, and South Sudan. These facilities are also available for lease to partner oil marketing companies.
Their automated fuel systems include modern fuel cards, Point of Sale (POS) systems, pump automation, and automatic tank gauging.
Hass Petroleum also offers piped gas systems—popularly known as "gas on tap"—for establishments like malls.
Additionally, Hass Petroleum is the main jet fuel supplier for Jambo Jet.
“Hass Petroleum is one of our main suppliers of jet fuel, controlling over 70 percent of Nairobi supply… They are reliable, always on time, and have the best quality,” Jambo Jet CEO Karanja Ndegwa noted.
Markets
Hass Petroleum operates in nine African countries:
Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC, Zambia, and Somalia.
According to Abdinasir Hassan, the company deliberately targeted countries where most players were hesitant to venture.
“We targeted countries where they could not reach and where they were afraid to penetrate. As a result of that, we were inspired to go to those markets,” Hassan stated.
Hass Petroleum’s product range includes automotive oils, industrial oils, greases, and equipment-specific lubricants.
Props:Kevin Koech (Who Owns Kenya)