TotalEnergies will not renew its contract with Liège call centre Ikanbi Belgium, putting about 150 jobs linked to the energy group at risk.
Staff were told on Thursday afternoon that the contract, which expires on 31 December, would not be extended, according to Setca Liège permanent secretary Patrick Masson, confirming an RTBF report.
French-language calls will be transferred to Morocco. Dutch-language calls will continue to be handled in Belgium, but no longer by Ikanbi.
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Masson said around 150 Ikanbi employees currently handle customer queries for TotalEnergies, including billing issues, meter transfers and contract negotiations.
He said the sector was under growing pressure from artificial intelligence, digitalisation and demands from Belgian clients for ever lower costs. He also warned that other large companies could soon follow the same path as the energy supplier.
Of the 150 affected workers, about 50 have permanent contracts, while around 100 are temporary staff.
Ikanbi management will now have to secure other clients if it is to retain those employees.
TotalEnergies Belgium said the decision was part of a strategic shift aimed at strengthening the quality and accessibility of its service in a rapidly changing energy market.
The company said it had reached the decision after an extensive and rigorous tendering process and would work with new partners better aligned with its plans.
A transition phase running from October until the end of March 2026 is intended to ensure a smooth handover while maintaining commitments to partners and service quality for customers.
From next year, all B2B customer support activities and a significant share of residential customer contacts, around half, will continue to be managed from Belgium, the group said.
Employees of outgoing partners working on the TotalEnergies Power & Gas Belgium project will be able to apply for the new roles, the company added.
