Dr Jinapor outlines roadmap to position Ghana as West Africa's energy hub

Minister of Energy and Green Transition Dr John Abdulai Jinapor has reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding Ghana’s domestic refining capacity and strengthening the country’s downstream petroleum sector as part of efforts to improve energy security and drive economic growth.

Speaking at the Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GhIPCon) 2026, Dr Jinapor said Ghana’s energy future would depend not only on its natural resources but also on the quality of policies, investor confidence, and investments in infrastructure and technology.

“I reiterated that Ghana’s energy future will be shaped not only by our natural resources, but by the quality of our policies, the confidence of investors and our willingness to invest in infrastructure, technology and local refining,” he said.

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According to the Energy Minister, building resilience within the energy sector is critical to securing Ghana’s future energy needs and creating sustainable economic opportunities.

“Building resilience today is essential to securing our energy needs and driving long-term economic growth,” he added.

Dr Jinapor reaffirmed President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of expanding domestic refining capacity to enable Ghana to derive greater value from its petroleum resources.

He noted that efforts to boost local refining capacity would enhance energy security, create jobs, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

The Minister also highlighted recent developments in the upstream and downstream petroleum sectors, including increased crude oil production and the strategic allocation of Jubilee crude to local refineries.

“Our recent progress of increasing crude oil production, and the strategic allocation of Jubilee crude to local refineries demonstrate our resolve to add value to our own resources, enhance energy security, and create jobs for Ghanaians,” Dr Jinapor stated.

He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration between government and industry players would position Ghana as a competitive downstream petroleum hub in West Africa.

MA