The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has hosted its maiden Vendor Engagement Seminar, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening local content and participation in Ghana’s oil and gas industry.

The event, which forms part of GNPC's 40th anniversary celebrations, brought together Ghanaian businesses, vendors, and suppliers under the theme "Promoting Local Content and Local Participation through Vendor Engagement".

The summit aimed to strengthen supplier relationships, enhance transparency, and deepen collaboration with stakeholders, while underscoring GNPC’s commitment to efficient procurement practices, local content development, and sustainable supply chain partnerships.

Opening the session, Chief Executive Officer of GNPC, Kwame Ntow Amoah, emphasised the Corporation’s commitment to inclusive growth: “The theme of this engagement goes to the heart of GNPC’s mandate. For us, Local Content is not merely a regulatory requirement.

"It is central to our strategy to grow together with local enterprises in a mutually beneficial partnership, ensuring our nation’s resources create real opportunities for our people, businesses, and communities.”

During a technical presentation on tender best practices, Barbara Afriyie-Owusu of the Supply Chain and Local Content Development Department highlighted the pivotal role of compliance in contract processes, describing it as indispensable.

“Compliance is like oxygen—you don’t always notice it, but you cannot survive long without it. Keep your documents ready, make your submissions responsive, and credibility will follow. Trust me, the contract will come,” Afriyie-Owusu noted.

She cautioned against recurring pitfalls such as incomplete forms, missing pages, expired statutory certificates, late submissions, and incorrect file formats.

With GNPC’s tender process now fully digital, she added that excuses like traffic delays or narrowly missed deadlines no longer hold, as the system automatically locks at closing time.

Afriyie-Owusu urged contractors to carefully review tender documents, seek clarifications early, engage professional support if necessary, and submit bids well ahead of time to avoid last-minute congestion.

“It is a competition, and everyone wants to win. Paying attention to deadlines, technical specifications, and compliance requirements ensures fairness in the process. GNPC’s doors are open to all, but only those who meet the requirements will succeed,” she stated.

The summit also featured presentations from the Petroleum Commission, which elaborated on Ghana’s local content framework, and the Public Procurement Authority, which showcased the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) to equip vendors for more efficient participation in tenders.

On the sidelines of the event, Seidu Salim Braimah, Manager of the Supply Chain and Local Content Development, reaffirmed GNPC's unwavering commitment to supporting local economies by sourcing goods and services from vendors within its operational areas, ensuring communities benefit directly from its activities.

Opportunities for indigenous enterprises in projects such as the Voltaian Basin were highlighted.

The Corporation encouraged businesses to see procurement not as a hurdle but as a pathway to building trust, expanding opportunities, and strengthening Ghanaian participation in the oil and gas sector.