Ghana has taken a historic step towards becoming West Africa’s petroleum refining powerhouse following the successful delivery of locally produced Jubilee Crude Oil to the Sentuo Oil Refinery for domestic processing, marking the first time crude from the Jubilee Field has been refined at the facility in Tema.
The milestone event, attended by government officials, petroleum industry leaders, upstream partners and investors, is being described as a major breakthrough in President John Dramani Mahama’s agenda to promote industrialisation, energy security, local value addition and job creation.
Speaking on behalf of President Mahama, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, described the occasion as a defining moment in Ghana’s petroleum sector and a clear demonstration of government’s commitment to ensuring greater value is derived from the country’s natural resources.
“This achievement goes beyond a commercial transaction. It represents a deliberate national policy decision to deepen local value addition, strengthen energy security, promote industrialisation and retain a greater share of the benefits derived from Ghana’s petroleum resources within our economy,” he stated.
Chairman of Sentuo Oil Refinery, Ningquan Xu, described the arrival of Jubilee Crude Oil as a transformational moment for Ghana’s economic future.
“Ghana is moving beyond being simply an exporter of raw resources. This refinery stands as a symbol of confidence in Ghana’s future. Ghana can become the energy gateway of the region,” he said.
The delivery follows interventions by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, which facilitated engagements between Sentuo Oil Refinery, GNPC, Explorco, Tullow Ghana, Kosmos Energy, Vitol Ghana and other stakeholders, resulting in the allocation of about one million barrels of Jubilee Crude Oil for local refining.
The development comes ahead of another major milestone for Ghana’s petroleum sector, as President John Dramani Mahama is expected to cut sod on June 24, 2026, for the commencement of Phase Two of the Sentuo Oil Refinery Expansion Project.
The expansion is expected to increase Sentuo’s refining capacity from 40,000 barrels per day to 100,000 barrels per day, making it one of the largest refineries in West Africa and positioning Ghana as a strategic petroleum refining and distribution hub for the West African and Sahel markets.
The project is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, strengthen Ghana’s energy security, improve foreign exchange retention, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products, and stimulate investment across the downstream petroleum value chain.
Industry analysts say the expansion will significantly enhance Ghana’s ability to process its own crude oil while supplying refined petroleum products to neighbouring countries, reinforcing the country’s growing status as a leading energy destination on the African continent.
With Jubilee Crude now being refined locally and plans underway to expand capacity to 100,000 barrels per day, Ghana is steadily transitioning from an exporter of raw resources to a country that processes, refines and adds value to its natural wealth.
The June 24 sod-cutting ceremony is expected to attract senior government officials, international investors, petroleum industry executives and development partners, underscoring confidence in Ghana’s energy future and its emergence as a regional hub for industrial growth and petroleum refining.
