President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has resumed crude oil processing, describing the development as a major boost to Ghana’s energy security.
Delivering the 2026 State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday, 27 February, the President said the refinery is once again converting crude oil into petroleum products following extensive turnaround maintenance.
“For the first time since 2018, the refinery has commenced processing of crude oil into petroleum products once more,” he told MPs.
Operations Restart After Major Overhaul
TOR had been largely dormant for years due to financial constraints and maintenance challenges. Between August and October 2025, engineers carried out critical rehabilitation works on the refinery’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) to restore operations and meet international safety standards.
After regulatory inspections, the National Petroleum Authority cleared the facility to resume operations on 19 December 2025, enabling refined products to flow into storage for the first time in years.
Industry groups, including the Institute for Energy Security and the Legal Green Association, have welcomed the move, calling it a step toward strengthening domestic refining capacity and reducing reliance on imports.
Management says operations will scale up gradually under a phased plan, with further upgrades — including a new furnace installation — expected to improve capacity and long-term reliability.
The refinery’s revival is widely viewed as a strategic shift aimed at reinforcing Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector and enhancing economic resilience.
