NPA to label fuel stations based on octane levels next year

Ubeidalah Saeed, the Head of Quality Control at the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has announced that the Authority is taking measures to address concerns about the quality of petrol in Ghana.

In response to recent reports of damaged spark plugs attributed to substandard petrol, the NPA has decided to label pumps for petrol based on their octane grades.

Mr Saeed clarified that there is no tainted petrol on the market.

Instead, he suggested that vehicle owners may be purchasing the wrong fuel for their cars, leading to performance issues.

Mr Saeed, who shared that he has also experienced vehicle troubles, emphasised the importance of considering the octane level of the fuel when addressing problems such as car jerking.

He explained the NPA's approach: "It costs about 500 dollars to test for octane, so we started testing for octane and realised that all the petrol we’re testing was meeting the octane levels."

Mr Saeed highlighted that each vehicle has a minimum octane level requirement for optimal performance.

To provide clarity and prevent misconceptions, the NPA has decided to label petrol pumps based on octane levels starting next year.

Ghana will have two grades of petrol – RON 91 (red) and RON 95 (green), the latter being a high-grade petrol known as premium petrol suitable for high-performing vehicles.

Mr Saeed's announcement aims to ensure consumers make informed choices and use the appropriate fuel for their vehicles.

He made this announcement while addressing the issue of contaminated fuel on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Monday, December 11, 2023.