Seven firms have submitted bids to buy a majority stake in Zambia's sole 24,000 barrel per day Indeni Petroleum Refinery, an executive at the agency handling the bidding said on March 17.

Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) procurement specialist Mwila Kapita said Glencore EnergyUK Ltd, Vitol SA, China Petroleum Technology and Development Corporation and Philia Trading were among the firms that had submitted bids.

The others are Joint Stock Company Global Security of Russia, Sahara Energy Resources Limited and a consortium of Beijing Huiersanji Green Chem Company Limited and AVIC International Holding.

Zambia is looking for a strategic partner to work with Indeni Petroleum Refinery, built in 1973. The oil company is currently 100 percent owned by the state-controlled Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Limited.