Amid volatile global energy markets and geopolitical conflict, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) says the restoration of domestic refining has provided a critical economic buffer for Ghanaian consumers while transforming the nation into a regional energy anchor for West Africa
Speaking at an official press briefing in October 2026, Managing Director Edmond Kombat disclosed that without TOR’s operational restart and local crude production, Ghanaian motorists would have faced crippling price hikes at local filling stations.
According to the Managing Director, during recent pricing windows marked by global crude disruptions, including the conflict involving Iran, fuel prices at Ghanaian pumps were projected to spike to between GH¢22 and GH¢32 per litre.
However, the revival of TOR under President John Dramani Mahama’s RESET Agenda helped stabilize local supply chains and insulate domestic motorists from these international market shocks
At its full capacity of 45,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd), the facillity’s throughput accounts for roughly 35% of the 128,000 barrels per day of clean petroleum products that Ghana imported in 2025.
By processing crude oil domestically, Ghana has significantly reduced its reliance on foreign finished fuel imports, keeping valuable foreign exchange onshore and enhancing national economic stability
For Edmond Kombat, a cornerstone of this turnaround is the seamless integration of Ghana’s upstream and downstream petroleum sectors. For instance, on July 15, 2026, TOR took delivery of a 1-million-barrel cargo of indigenous Jubilee Medium Sweet crude delivered aboard the MT Apache
TOR, the MD says, paid for the shipment in full, marking its first Jubilee crude delivery in a decade. This was followed on September 25, 2026, by a parcel of 950,000 barrels of Sankofa crude supplied by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
To ensure locally refined fuel directly reaches Ghanaian consumers at predictable prices, TOR established strategic commercial offtake partnerships with domestic distributors, including the Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) on September 2, 2026.
Beyond Ghana’s borders, TOR’s recovery has reshaped regional energy logistics across West Africa. According to the refinery, strengthened coordination between TOR, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), and the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) has enabled neighboring landlocked nations to secure reliable petroleum transit.
Notably, Burkina Faso’s National Oil Company has increased its petroleum product transit through Ghana from 15% in 2024 to 40% in 2026
TOR therefore emphasizes that refining domestic crude with Ghanaian expertise not only protects household budgets at the pump but also positions Ghana as an indispensable energy corridor for the Sahelian region.
