President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has resumed operations, marking a significant milestone for Ghana’s energy sector.

Speaking during the 2026 State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday, 27 February, President Mahama said the refinery is processing crude oil into petroleum products again following extensive turnaround maintenance.

“I’m pleased to inform this August House that for the first time since 2018, the refinery has commenced processing of crude oil into petroleum products once more,” he told Members of Parliament.

The President reassured Ghanaians that energy sector reforms remain a priority for his administration and emphasised his commitment to strengthening the sector to deliver reliable, affordable and sustainable energy for the nation.

Background: TOR’s Return to Operations

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 (CDU), conducted between August and October 2025 to meet international engineering and safety standards.

Following completion of the maintenance work, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) undertook regulatory inspections and granted clearance for operations to restart on 19 December 2025, allowing refined products to flow into storage for the first time in years.

The resumption of refining has been welcomed by industry stakeholders and civil society. Groups such as the Institute for Energy Security (IES) and the Legal Green Association (LGA) have praised the return of TOR as a boost to Ghana’s energy security and economic resilience.

Management says the refinery will operate under a phased approach to stabilise systems and optimise performance, with upgrades — including the installation of a new furnace — expected to progressively restore capacity and strengthen reliability.

The revival of TOR is widely seen as a strategic step in reducing Ghana’s dependence on imported petroleum products and enhancing the resilience of the downstream petroleum sector.