Exclusive: After Dbeibeh’s pressure to reinstate oil swaps… Shakshak warns him: A move that drains the treasury and undermines the path of reform and public tenders

Our source has exclusively obtained a letter from the Head of the Libyan Audit Bureau, Khaled Shakshak, addressed to the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, regarding the latter’s letter to the Chairman of the Board of the National Oil Corporation. The letter included a request to halt all procedures related to the public tender for fuel supply and to continue operating under the previously adopted mechanism, with the same quantities as in November 2025, until a comprehensive evaluation of all available options is conducted.
Shakshak explained that the Audit Bureau, in line with its oversight role and based on the findings of follow-up work, identified fundamental observations revealing serious shortcomings and weaknesses in the mechanisms for managing supply contracts. These deficiencies led to unjustified additional burdens on the state budget, constituting waste of public funds. The National Oil Corporation had previously been notified—under letters No. (19/5225) dated 22/09/2025 and No. (19/7174) dated 08/12/2025—of the necessity to take corrective measures in the fuel supply mechanism and procedures, by committing to presenting the matter through a public tender. The Bureau also recommended observing a set of controls and standards to ensure procedural transparency and contracting with the most efficient, qualified, and capable international companies, thereby opening competition and ensuring Libya benefits from obtaining fuel of the required quality at the most appropriate prices.
According to the correspondence, the outcomes of repeated meetings among the concerned entities—including the Public Prosecutor, the Central Bank of Libya, and the National Oil Corporation—confirmed the Audit Bureau’s position and the need to review and update the existing supply mechanisms in line with approved legal standards and frameworks. This includes the necessity for the National Oil Corporation to adopt the public tender method as the optimal and most effective legal and regulatory framework for achieving the public interest, rationalizing expenditure, and preventing exploitation or improper practices.
Shakshak added that the referenced letter represents a deviation from the course previously adopted by the Prime Minister and agreed upon under the auspices of the relevant parties, as well as from the Audit Bureau’s recommendations. It increases the risks of continued unacceptable costs and burdens on the public treasury and delays the deserved path of reform and correction of the current mechanisms and procedures. He noted that all organizational and corrective steps taken had allowed the National Oil Corporation sufficient time to transition from the previous system to a more equitable, transparent, and reliable procedural system that meets requirements of efficiency and economic effectiveness, secures and meets local market needs without waste or excessive costs, and maintains uninterrupted supply flows—within a structured and orderly path that balances institutional reform requirements with genuine local demand.
He further stated that, in accordance with the corrective measures already taken, the National Oil Corporation had begun adopting and implementing the public tender system, announcing the tender, qualifying a number of supply entities and instruments, and comparing offers submitted by companies based on approved requirements and standards, in light of recommendations and the outcomes of the aforementioned meetings. These steps yielded encouraging results and a positive impact in achieving financial savings and limiting corruption practices and fuel smuggling—making it necessary to consolidate efforts to support and complete this path. Reversing or delaying its implementation could risk creating financial or legal obligations and judicial disputes that would affect the integrity and reputation of the Libyan state’s position.
He also said that while the Audit Bureau appreciates the Prime Minister’s concern for the smooth flow of fuel supplies and the stability of the local market, it reiterates its previous warnings and stresses the importance and necessity of adhering to the agreed procedures coordinated among the relevant entities, supporting the agreed-upon path, completing corrective steps through public tenders, and avoiding the risks of continuing to operate under the previously used mechanism.