Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has called for a shift in Ghana’s participation in the upstream petroleum industry from securing contracts to building globally competitive indigenous companies capable of owning and leading businesses in the sector.

Speaking at the 15th anniversary celebration of the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, Mr Jinapor said the country had made significant progress in promoting local participation since the introduction of the Petroleum (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulations, 2013 (L.I. 2204).

He said Indigenous Ghanaian Companies received about US$146 million in contracts in 2013, but the figure had increased substantially, with nearly US$5 billion out of approximately US$22.3 billion in total contract value going to Indigenous Ghanaian Companies by the first half of 2026.

“These figures demonstrate real progress. But our ambition must go further from participation to capability, from contracting to ownership, and from opportunities for Ghanaian companies to globally competitive Ghanaian enterprises,” he said.

Mr Jinapor said the government would continue to support policies that deepen Ghanaian participation while ensuring that local companies develop the capacity, technology and expertise required to compete internationally.