Ghana is positioning itself to dramatically reduce its dependence on imported petroleum products, with government projecting that the Tema Oil Refinery and Sentuo Oil Refinery will together supply about 70 per cent of the country's fuel demand once ongoing expansion works are completed.
Energy and Green Transition Minister Dr John Abdulai Jinapor made the announcement during the 7th Ghana International Petroleum Conference in Accra, where he outlined government's strategy to strengthen the downstream petroleum sector through investment, local refining and policy reforms.
For years, Ghana has relied heavily on imported refined fuel despite being an oil-producing nation. The minister believes that equation is beginning to change.
Jubilee crude to feed local refineries
Dr Jinapor disclosed that the next one million-barrel allocation of crude oil from the Jubilee Field will be supplied to the Tema Oil Refinery as part of efforts to revive the state-owned facility.
He said the move builds on President John Dramani Mahama's decision to dedicate Jubilee crude to domestic refining, allowing Ghana to retain more value within its own economy.
The minister also pointed to renewed momentum in upstream petroleum production. According to him, the Jubilee Field is now producing about 95,000 barrels of oil per day, the highest output recorded in recent years, while natural gas production has increased by more than 50 million standard cubic feet daily.
More jobs, less dependence on imports
Beyond fuel security, Dr Jinapor argued that expanding local refining would ease pressure on foreign exchange, improve Ghana's balance of payments and strengthen supply reliability.
"Every refinery is more than an industrial facility.
"It creates an ecosystem of economic activity, supporting transport and logistics companies, engineering services, local contractors, manufacturers, technology providers and thousands of skilled jobs." - Dr Jinapor
The minister maintained that investment in refining capacity forms a critical pillar of government's broader industrialisation agenda and could help position Ghana as a leading petroleum hub in West Africa.
He urged industry players to deepen collaboration and support policies that encourage domestic value addition across the petroleum value chain.
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