President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has resumed processing crude oil into petroleum products for the first time since 2018.

Delivering his State of the Nation Address, the President told Parliament that the refinery’s new management has successfully completed extensive turnaround maintenance, paving the way for the facility’s operational comeback.

“Mr. Speaker, I’m also pleased to announce to you that Tema Oil Refinery is back, For the first time since 2018, the refinery has commenced processing of crude oil into petroleum products again,” he said.

The President described the development as a key milestone in ongoing efforts to revitalize Ghana’s energy sector and ensure energy security. He assured the House that reforms within the sector remain firmly on track.

The Tema Oil Refinery had been inactive for several years, with major shutdowns due to maintenance challenges and financial constraints that left it unable to refine crude domestically.

However, the refinery successfully resumed crude oil refining in December 2025 after extensive turnaround maintenance on its Crude Distillation Unit.

President Mahama also emphasized his administration’s commitment to restoring stability and efficiency across the energy value chain.

“I remain fully committed to turning around the sector, strengthening its foundations, and ensuring reliable, affordable and sustainable energy security for our nation,” he stated.

The resumption of operations at Tema Oil Refinery is expected to boost local refining capacity and support government’s broader energy security agenda while boosting revenue generated from the sector.