Ghana has taken a major step toward energy independence by restarting its state-owned Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) after years of inactivity, a move expected to significantly reduce its reliance on imported fuel, particularly from Nigeria.
The refinery, which had been largely dormant since 2021, resumed operations in December after extensive maintenance on its crude distillation unit was completed between August and October 2025.
Currently running at 28,000 barrels per day (bpd), about 62% of its 45,000 bpd capacity, the restart is a crucial development aimed at easing pressure on Ghana’s foreign exchange reserves, which have been strained by a fuel import bill that reached about $10.2 billion in 2024.
The revival of TOR is set to directly impact trade dynamics with Nigeria, as Nigeria’s Dangote refinery had been a major supplier to Ghana.
The Ghanaian government projects that having the refinery operational could meet up to 60% of the country’s domestic fuel needs and save an estimated $400 million a month in import costs.
Following regulatory clearance from the National Petroleum Authority, new management is now overseeing the phased restart, with plans to eventually reach full capacity and pursue further upgrades, including increasing the crude distillation unit’s capacity to 60,000 bpd.
