TOR revival boosts Burkina Faso fuel supply through Ghana to 40% – Kombat

The share of Burkina Faso’s petroleum product movements through Ghana has increased from 15 per cent in 2024 to 40 per cent, as the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and other petroleum sector institutions strengthen Ghana’s role as a regional fuel supply hub.

Managing Director of TOR, Edmond Kombat, said the increase reflected improved collaboration among petroleum sector institutions and renewed confidence in Ghana’s capacity to support regional petroleum supply arrangements.

Speaking at the Government Accountability Series at Jubilee House on Monday, October 26, 2026, he said the refinery’s recovery was contributing to fuel security in Ghana and neighbouring Sahelian countries.

Mr Kombat said the refinery’s relationship with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST) and other petroleum service providers had helped facilitate the movement of petroleum products through Ghana.

“TOR’s close working relationship with NPA, BOST and other Petroleum Service providers has ensured Burkina Faso’s National Oil Company has increased its petroleum products movement through Ghana from 15% in 2024 to 40% as at today,” he said.

The Managing Director said restoring TOR’s operations was important not only for Ghana’s domestic energy security but also for strengthening the country’s position in the regional petroleum supply chain.

He explained that the refinery had previously been reduced largely to storage activities after its major processing units were shut down.

The CDU had been out of operation since April 2021, while the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit had been shut down since 2019.

Following the current management’s appointment in May 2025, a turnaround maintenance programme was undertaken to rehabilitate the CDU, paving the way for refining operations to resume on December 19, 2025.

Mr Kombat said the refinery had since received several crude cargoes, including Ghanaian indigenous crude, and had recorded substantial growth in product storage volumes.

Storage volumes increased from 426,954 metric tonnes in 2024 to 1,107,389 metric tonnes in 2025, before rising further to 1,350,000 metric tonnes in 2026, according to figures presented by management.

He said TOR’s recovery, combined with cooperation among state institutions and petroleum service providers, had improved its capacity to support petroleum supply arrangements.

The Managing Director also argued that domestic refining capacity could help reduce Ghana’s exposure to disruptions in international fuel supplies and support greater price stability.

He said the refinery’s partnership with GOIL, including an engagement on September 2, 2026, was intended to increase the supply of locally refined products.

Mr Kombat added that the government’s longer-term plan to expand TOR’s processing capacity to 100,000 barrels per day, with a further ambition of 200,000 barrels per day, would strengthen Ghana’s refining capabilities.

He said management would continue working with industry partners to consolidate the refinery’s recovery and improve its contribution to Ghana’s energy security and regional petroleum trade.