Ghana’s oil industry set to rise
By Rebecca Okine
The Minister of Energy, John Abdulai Jinapor, says Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector is experiencing a marked resurgence after years of steady decline due to improved government policies, regulatory consistency, and renewed investor confidence.
Speaking at Jubilee House yesterday, July 16, 2025, during the Government Accountability Series, the Minister highlighted key milestones achieved in the last six months, noting that the petroleum sector is on a path to recovery and future growth.
“There is renewed interest in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector,” Mr. Jinapor said.
He attributed the turnaround to deliberate steps taken by the government to make the investment climate more attractive.
“With bold policies, both domestic and international companies are showing increased activity,” he stated, adding that this resurgence is being driven by policy stability and proactive engagement.
Mr. Jinapor revealed that Ghana is actively engaging major global oil companies, including Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil, and Chevron in efforts to promote exploration in the country’s sedimentary basins.
According to the minister, these “supermajors” are demonstrating growing confidence in Ghana’s upstream petroleum potential.
Mr. Jinapor also announced that the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) is collaborating with other exploration partners, particularly in the Voltaian Basin, to expand upstream activities.
He revealed that recent support from the government enabled two operators to successfully conclude the appraisal of existing discoveries, specifically the Athena discovery in the West Cape Three Points Block and the Eban-Akoma discoveries.
“These discoveries have now been declared commercially viable,” he stated, explaining that this development sets the stage for production and long-term resource growth.
“It means the production decline we’ve seen over the past five years is expected to plateau and rise again,” the Minister stressed.
In addition to developments in petroleum exploration, Mr. Jinapor highlighted the ongoing national streetlight installation program as part of the government’s 24-hour economy policy.
“We have started installing new streetlights across the country. This is meant to support night-time business activity and boost productivity beyond daylight hours,” he added.
Mr. Jinapor described the 24-hour economy initiative as a transformative policy that requires supporting infrastructure such as reliable lighting, energy access, and security to thrive.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana’s petroleum resources are fully leveraged to support sustainable development, job creation, and economic stability.
