The Comoros Supreme Court's Section of Accounts has published an audit report on the 2022 financial management of Sonelec, the national electricity company. The report, finalized in March 2025, examined personnel management, public procurement, and financial management. As of 2022, Sonelec had 1,533 employees. The audit revealed disparities in regional directorates' staffing levels and inconsistent remuneration policies.
The auditors found that employees with the same diploma, job, or recruitment year received different salaries. The Section of Accounts recommended immediate measures to correct these disparities. In 2022, Sonelec's payroll totaled 2,500,571,725 francs, accounting for 13.6% of revenue and 43.7% of the company's added value. This highlighted the need for salary structure reforms to ensure fairness and equity.
The audit examined 18 public procurement contracts for goods and services worth nearly 4 billion francs. However, these contracts did not follow classical financial procedures. The report noted that the auditors could not assess some contracts, including the purchase of generators from Tec International, due to a lack of data.
The audit also identified budget imbalances within Sonelec. The company spent 9.073 billion francs on diesel for electricity production, accounting for 56% of operating expenses. Annual revenue for 2022 was 15,965,020,047 francs, but the auditors found that revenue was lower than total expenses, with a negative gap of 1,047,129,502 francs.
The report highlighted incoherence in Sonelec's accounting. The auditors found a discrepancy of 911,276,491 francs between the revenue established by the Court (15,965,020,417 francs) and that reported in the income statement (15,053,743,926 francs). These inconsistencies underscore the need for improved financial reporting and accounting practices.
The Comoros Supreme Court's audit emphasized the importance of addressing these issues to improve Sonelec's financial management and operational efficiency. The report's recommendations aim to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance within the company. Implementing these measures will be crucial for Sonelec's future performance and the country's energy sector.
The findings of this audit will likely inform future reforms and policy decisions regarding Sonelec and the broader energy sector in Comoros. The report's release marks a significant step towards enhancing transparency and accountability in the management of public enterprises.
Key points
- Disparities in personnel management and inconsistent remuneration policies were found at Sonelec.
- The company's financial management and public procurement processes require improvement.
- The audit's recommendations aim to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance within Sonelec.
