Ghana has sufficient petroleum stocks to meet domestic demand for at least the next six weeks, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has assured, shifting attention from fuel availability to the rising cost of petroleum products.
NPA Chief Executive Officer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe said existing stocks, together with petroleum cargoes currently heading to Ghana, provide adequate protection against potential supply disruptions in the near term.
“Currently, we have not less than six weeks of cover. Not less,” he said in an interview with the media.
Mr Tamakloe said the number of vessels carrying petroleum products to Ghana also provided confidence in the country’s supply position.
“And if you look at the number of vessels even on the high seas, it is significant. So at this point, yes, I have some supply,” he said.
Asked whether Ghana could face fuel supply difficulties in the coming weeks, the NPA CEO said availability was not his immediate concern.
“No, my major concern now is price,” he said.
He subsequently ruled out the prospect of a fuel supply problem within the next month, saying, “Not at all.”
His comments come against the backdrop of renewed pressure on international petroleum markets, with tighter availability of crude and refined products raising concerns about the potential impact on domestic fuel prices.
Fuel prices become the bigger concern
The NPA’s assurance comes as the authority has raised the price floors for petroleum products.
Effective September 16, 2026, the minimum price for petrol was increased to GH¢16 per litre, while diesel was set at GH¢16.77 per litre. The floor price for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was also increased to GH¢10.97 per kilogramme.
The price movements mean that although Ghana may not face a physical shortage of fuel, consumers and businesses could continue to face higher energy costs if international petroleum prices remain elevated.
For transport operators, manufacturers, logistics companies and other fuel-intensive businesses, sustained increases could feed into transportation, production and distribution costs, with possible effects on the prices of goods and services.
Mr Tamakloe also pointed to Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery as an additional source of petroleum products for the regional market.
“Dangote is here,” he said, highlighting the refinery’s potential role in supporting regional petroleum supply.
BOST export reduction not linked to shortage
The NPA’s position is consistent with a separate clarification from BOSTenergies Limited concerning reports of reduced fuel exports to Burkina Faso and Mali.
BOSTenergies said the reduction in regional exports did not reflect an impending shortage in Ghana.
The company attributed the lower export volumes largely to the ongoing rehabilitation of its Bolgatanga depot, which serves as a key gateway for petroleum supplies to the Sahelian market.
BOSTenergies said fuel continues to be transported from its coastal depot in Tema by Bulk Road Vehicles while the rehabilitation works are completed.
NPA defends private-sector fuel market
Mr Tamakloe also defended Ghana’s private-sector-led downstream petroleum market, saying the structure was designed to encourage private investment and participation in fuel distribution.
He acknowledged concerns that excessive dependence on private operators could create vulnerabilities for national fuel security but said safeguards had been introduced following the fuel challenges Ghana experienced in 2014 and 2015.
“I think there are some buffers that we put in place to ensure that the 2014-2015 events do not happen again,” he said.
He added that preventing a situation where private operators could exert excessive pressure on the national economy remained an important concern.
The NPA maintains that Ghana’s current stock levels and incoming petroleum cargoes provide adequate supply cover, even as global market volatility puts renewed pressure on fuel prices.
